Bauchi State’s Commissioner of Finance, Yakubu Adamu, has been remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre by a Federal High Court in Abuja following his arraignment on serious terrorism financing and money laundering charges.
Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the detention on Wednesday after Adamu and three co-defendants—Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed—pleaded not guilty to a 10-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A ruling on their bail application is scheduled for January 5.
The EFCC alleges that between January and May 2024, the commissioner and his co-defendants conspired to provide approximately $2.8 million in state funds to Bello Bodejo, a leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and his associates. The prosecution claims these funds, approved by Governor Bala Mohammed, were intended to finance a terrorist group.
In a separate charge, Adamu is also accused of personally benefiting from a scheme to launder nearly $7 million in state funds through Bureau de Change operators. The defendants have denied all charges.
This arraignment is the latest legal trouble for Adamu, who was charged just a day earlier in a separate N4.65 billion money laundering case.
That case alleges that while serving as a bank manager in 2023, he was involved in diverting a bank loan intended for the purchase of motorcycles for the Bauchi State Government, a delivery the EFCC says never occurred.
During the bail hearing, Adamu’s lawyer argued for his release, stating that his continued detention has delayed salary payments for about 60,000 state workers. The EFCC countered, urging the court to deny bail due to the severity of the terrorism-related allegations and the large sums involved.
