A Federal High Court judge in Abuja has ordered that the case involving Bauchi State’s Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, be returned to the Chief Judge for reassignment.
Justice Emeka Nwite made the order on Tuesday after the court resumed from its vacation.
The case concerns alleged terrorism financing involving about $9.7 million.
Adamu, a former branch manager of Polaris Bank in Bauchi, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged terrorism financing and money laundering.
He is the first defendant in the case and is standing trial alongside three other Bauchi State civil servants.
The other defendants are Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed.
They were arraigned on December 31, 2025, and all pleaded not guilty.
On January 5, Justice Nwite refused their bail application, ruling that the charges posed a threat to national security and public safety.
He ordered that they be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre and fixed January 13 for the commencement of trial, with an order for accelerated hearing.
However, when the case came up again, no lawyer appeared in court for the EFCC.
Defence counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, told the court that the judge had earlier explained that the adjournment was because the court was sitting as a vacation court.
“In obedience to the fixing of the case for today, the defendants have been produced from Kuje Prison and we, their lawyers, are also here for today’s proceedings,” he said.
Uche added that another senior lawyer, Adebayo Ojo, SAN, had informed him that he was newly engaged by the prosecution and that his junior lawyers would attend the hearing.
However, when the judge asked if any of them was present, there was no response.
Justice Nwite then noted that the matter was a vacation case and ordered that the case file be returned to the court registry for reassignment by the Chief Judge.
According to the charge, the defendants allegedly conspired between January and May 2024 to provide about $2.3 million in cash to persons linked to Bello Bodejo, based on approvals allegedly granted by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
The funds were said to have been used to finance a terrorist group.
Judge returns Bauchi finance commissioner’s case for reassignment
