Bauchi Finance Commissioner in $9.7m terror funding scandal, arraigned by EFCC
•Yakubu Adamu, Bauchi state Finance Commissioner
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Yakubu Adamu, Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, over allegations of terrorism financing involving about $9.7 million.
The agency arraigned Adamu on Wednesday before Emeka Nwite, judge of a federal high court, in Abuja on a 10-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/705/2025.
The commissioner is standing trial alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, listed as second to fourth defendants.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following the plea, Samuel Chime, counsel to the EFCC, asked the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution to present its witnesses and evidence.
However, Gordy Uche, counsel to the defendants, informed the court that separate applications seeking bail for them had been filed on December 30 and served on the prosecution.
The prosecuting counsel confirmed receipt of the applications, adding that the EFCC had filed a joint counter-affidavit opposing the bail requests.
Moving the bail application, Uche urged the court to admit the defendants to bail pending trial, arguing that the proof of evidence did not satisfy the conditions stipulated under section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
He said the prosecution failed to specifically link his clients to terrorism financing and asked the court to exercise its discretion in their favour.
“My lord, do not be carried away by the nature of the charge. I urge you to give it a liberal view and grant them bail on liberal terms,” Uche said.
He also argued that Adamu’s continued detention had affected salary payments to about 600,000 Bauchi state workers.
Opposing the application, Chime urged the court to decline the bail request, citing the gravity of the allegations and the magnitude of the sums involved.
He also told the court that Adamu is facing another money laundering charge in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/694/2025.
In a brief ruling, Nwite adjourned the matter until January 5 for a decision on the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje correctional centre.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired to provide about $2.3 million in cash for the benefit of Bello Bodejo, Miyati Allah president, and persons associated with him, pursuant to approvals allegedly granted by Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi.
The commission said the funds were allegedly used, in whole or in part, to finance a terrorist group, contrary to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The EFCC also accused the defendants of disguising the origin of Bauchi state government funds routed through bureau de change operators and nominees and converting them to US dollars for unlawful purposes.
Adamu is separately standing trial alongside Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd over an alleged N4.6 billion money laundering, which the EFCC said relates to transactions carried out while he served as a branch manager of Polaris Bank in Bauchi.
