Court Grants Bauchi Finance Commissioner Yakubu Adamu N100m Bail in Alleged $9.7m Terrorism Financing Case

By Emmanuel Kwada

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, in the sum of N100 million over charges of alleged terrorism financing involving approximately $9.7 million.

The commissioner was admitted to bail alongside three co-defendants: Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed. Each defendant was granted bail in the sum of N100 million.

In his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Umar ordered that each defendant must provide two sureties in like sum. One surety must be a serving Permanent Secretary in the civil service, while the other must be a Director in the civil service.

The judge further directed the defendants to deposit their international travel documents with the court registrar and prohibited them from traveling outside the country without prior court permission.

Additionally, the commissioner and his co-defendants were ordered to report weekly to the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Bauchi every Monday, pending the commencement of their trial.

Justice Umar held that there was insufficient evidence in the proof of evidence to establish terrorism financing. He emphasized that mere monetary donations to individuals or corporate bodies do not constitute sufficient proof without cogent and verifiable evidence linking the recipients to terrorism or terrorist organizations.

The judge dismissed the federal government’s strong objections to the bail applications, describing them as lacking merit and substance.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier arraigned the defendants on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering and terrorism financing under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The allegations involve large cash transactions outside the banking system, purportedly linked to funds that may have benefited individuals or groups associated with terrorism.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty when initially arraigned late last year. Earlier bail applications were refused by a different judge, leading to their remand, before the case was reassigned.

Justice Umar fixed March 26, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

The ruling provides temporary relief to the defendants as proceedings continue in one of several high-profile cases involving public officials and allegations of financial impropriety linked to security concerns in Nigeria.