Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, admitted Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and his co-defendants to bail in N100 million each in the alleged 9.7 million dollars terrorism financing offences.
Justice Umar, in a ruling, held that Adamu and his co-defendants had placed sufficient materials before the court for the court to exercise its discretion in their favour judicially and judiciously.
The judge, who granted the bail applications, directed the defendants to produce two sureties each who must be a permanent secretary and a director in the civil service.
The judge ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court registry, and report to the Department of State Services (DSS)’ office in Bauchi State every Monday until the case is determined.
He adjourned the matter until Feb. 26 for commencement of trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had preferred a 10-count terrorism financing and money laundering charge against Adamu and three others.
The others are Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, who are 2nd to 4th defendants respectively.
Although they were earlier denied bail before Justice Emeka Nwite, who worked as vacation judge in December, the defendants were however, re-arraigned before Justice Umar on Jan. 16 and their bail application moved after the case was re-assigned to the new judge.
Justice Umar then adjourned the matter until Jan. 21 for ruling on their bail application following their not guilty plea.
The defendants, through their lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, informed the court in their latest bail application, that though a sister court earlier refused their bail plea, there were new and additional facts upon which the instant application was brought.
Uche said the sister court would have granted their bail if the new facts were brought to its notice.
The lawyer argued that Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyettti Allah Kautal Hore, whom the EFCC named n the nine counts of the 10 counts filed against his clients, was never convicted for any terrorism offence by any competent court in the country.
He argued that though Bodejo was charged by the Federal Government for terrorism-related offences in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/101/2024, the charge was later withdrawn by the government and the court dismissed it on May, 29, 2024.
Besides, Uche argued that there was no proscription order in the Federal Government’s Official Gazette designating either Bodejo or his organisation as a terrorist or terrorist organisation, backing his argument with Section 48(1) of Terrorism Prevention Act, 2022.
According to him, since Bello Bodejo has not been shown by the prosecution as a terrorist, there is no basis for the defendants to continue to languish in detention, hence the need for the bail application.
He further argued that the court is empowered by law to grant bail, citing relevant sections of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, to back his submission.
Adamu, who is a former manager of a branch of Polaris Bank Plc in Bauchi State, and others were earlier arraigned on Dec. 31, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the counts read to them before Justice Nwite.
The judge, on Jan. 5, declined to grant their bail application on the grounds that the offences with which they are charged with, threatens national security and public safety.
Justice Nwite, who ordered that the defendants be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre until the determination of the case, fixed Jan. 13 for commencement of trial.
However, on Jan. 13, Justice Nwite returned the case file back to the chief judge (CJ) for reassignment after the vacation had ended.
The charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/705/2025, was dated and filed Dec. 30 by EFCC’s lawyer, Samuel Chime.
In count one, Adamu, Sirajo Jaja (while being Accountant-General of Bauchi State, now at large}, Samaila Irmiya Liman (now at large}, Balarabe Ilelah, Aminu Bose and Kabiru Mohammed (all being civil servants and signatories to Bauchi State Government’s accounts and/or payment instruments) were alleged to have committed the offence sometime between Jan. 2024 and May 2024.
They were alleged to have conspired to provide funds in the aggregate sum of 2,300,000.000 U.S. dollars in cash for the benefit of Bello Bodejo and persons associated with him, pursuant to approvals granted by Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
The said funds were alleged to be used, in whole or in part, to finance a terrorist or terrorist group.
The offence is contrary to Section 26(1) and punishable under Section 21(2)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
