The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, alongside three civil servants — Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, over alleged terrorism financing to the tune of $9.7m.
According to the EFCC, the defendants were arraigned on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a ten-count charge bordering on conspiracy, conversion of public funds, and alleged terrorism financing, contrary to Section 2(1) and Section 19(1) (d), and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Prosecution counsel, Samuel Chime, informed the court that the matter was for arraignment and prayed that the charge be read to the defendants.
“We have a ten-count charge dated 30 December, 2025, and filed on the same day,” Chime said.
One of the counts reads: “That you Yakubu Adamu (being Commissioner for Finance, Bauchi State Government), sometimes in the year 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, 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, and you and offence contrary to Section 2(1) and Section 19(1) (d) and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another count reads: “That you Yakubu Adamu (being Commissioner for Finance, Bauchi State Government), Sirajo Jaja (being Accountant-General of Bauchi State now at large), Samaila Irmiya Liman (now at large), Balarabe Abdullahi Illelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed (all being civil servants and signatories to Bauchi State Government Accounts and/or payment instruments), sometimes between January 2024 and May 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire to provide funds in the aggregate sum of about Two Million, Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (USD 2,300,000) in cash for the benefit of Bello Bodejo and persons associated with him, pursuant to approvals granted by the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Muhammed, having reasonable grounds to believe, that the said funds would be used, in whole or in part to finance a terrorist or terrorist group, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) and punishable under Section 21(2)(a) of the terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, Chime to request a trial date.
“We will be asking for a date to enable us to open our case,” Chime stated.
Responding, counsel to the defendants told the court that the defence had filed separate motions for bail on behalf of the defendants, saying: “We filed separate motions for bail in respect of the first, second, third, and fourth defendants and all the motions were filed on the 30th day of December 2025.”
In his response, Chime noted that the prosecution had been served and had filed a joint counter-affidavit.
“We have been served, we filed a joint counter-affidavit yesterday, my lord, 30 December 2025,” he said.
Consequently, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to January 5, 2026, for ruling on the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
