RismadarVoice Reporters
January 13, 2026
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered that the case file of the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment to a substantive judge.
Justice Nwite said the decision was necessitated by the fact that the matter was heard as a vacation case, which must be reassigned to a substantive judge for trial.
“This is a vacation matter which ought to be returned to the registrar for onward transmission to the Chief Judge for reassignment,” the judge ruled.
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.
The defendants are facing a 10-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing and money laundering, contrary to Sections 2(1) and 19(1)(d) and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the charges alleges that Adamu, while serving as Commissioner for Finance, Bauchi State, received $6.95 million in cash in 2024 outside the financial system.
The charge reads in part:
“That you Yakubu Adamu, being Commissioner for Finance, Bauchi State Government, did receive cash payments in the sum of Six Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (USD 6,950,000) otherwise than through a financial institution, an offence contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On January 5, 2026, the court refused their bail applications and ordered that they be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending trial.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, counsel to the defendants, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, informed the court that the defence was ready for the commencement of trial, while the EFCC announced Adebayo Ojo as its new lead counsel in the matter.
Reiterating his ruling, Justice Nwite explained:
“I have listened to the submissions of the learned Senior Counsel for the defendants. It is not in doubt that this is a vacation matter which should be returned to the Chief Judge for substantive reassignment.”
