Judge returns Bauchi Commissioner’s $9.7m terror financing case for reassignment
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered that the alleged $9.7 million terrorism-financing case against Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, be reassigned to another judge.
Justice Emeka Nwite made the order on Tuesday – earlier today, January 13, 2026 – returning the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, on the grounds that the matter was heard during the court’s vacation and must now be handled by a substantive judge.
“This is a vacation matter which was returned to the registrar after the vacation for onward transmission to the Chief Judge for reassignment,” Justice Nwite ruled after listening to arguments from defence counsel.
Adamu is standing trial alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, following their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 31, 2025, on a 10-count charge of alleged terrorism financing and money laundering under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the charges alleges that Adamu, in his capacity as Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, received $6.95 million in cash in 2024 outside the banking system, in violation of Sections 2(1) and 19(1)(d) of the Act.
All four defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On January 5, 2026, Justice Nwite had refused their bail applications and ordered their remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, defence counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, informed the court that the defendants were ready for trial, while the EFCC announced Adebayo Ojo as its new prosecuting counsel.
However, the court ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to continue with the substantive hearing because the case was initiated during the court’s vacation, and must therefore be reassigned by the Chief Judge to another judge for proper trial.
The matter now awaits fresh assignment by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
