A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has taken a significant procedural step in the high-profile alleged terrorism financing case involving Bauchi State's Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu. The court has ordered the case file to be sent back to the Chief Judge for official reassignment to a substantive trial judge.
Court Orders Reassignment of High-Profile Case
Presiding Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, made the ruling on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. He explained that the matter was initially handled during the court's vacation period. According to established judicial procedure, such vacation cases must be formally reassigned once regular court sessions resume.
Justice Nwite clarified that since he presided over the case in a vacation capacity, he could not continue with the substantive trial. The judge directed that the file be forwarded to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, for the purpose of assigning it to a judge for full trial proceedings.
"This is a vacation matter which was returned to the registrar after the vacation for onward transmission to the Chief Judge for reassigning the case substantively," Justice Nwite stated in court.
Details of the Charges and Defendants
Yakubu Adamu is facing trial alongside three other individuals: Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought a 10-count charge against the quartet, alleging crimes related to terrorism financing and money laundering.
The defendants were formally arraigned on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. The charges are based on alleged violations of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, specifically Sections 2(1) and 19(1)(d), which are punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.
One of the most serious counts alleges that Commissioner Adamu, in his official capacity, received a cash sum of $6.95 million in 2024 outside the regulated banking system. Prosecutors from the EFCC have labelled this act as unlawful under Nigeria's stringent anti-money laundering statutes.
All four defendants have entered pleas of not guilty to the charges brought against them.
Bail Denied and Trial Preparations
In a previous sitting on Monday, January 5, 2026, the court dismissed bail applications submitted by the defence team. The judge subsequently ordered the remand of all the accused persons at the Kuje Correctional Centre. This remand is to remain in effect until the commencement of the actual trial.
When proceedings resumed, the defence counsel, Chief Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court of his team's readiness to proceed with the trial immediately. On the prosecution's side, the EFCC announced a change in its legal representation, introducing Adebayo Ojo as its new lead prosecuting counsel for this case.
The case's return to the Chief Judge marks a temporary pause as the judiciary ensures proper procedural adherence. All parties now await the swift reassignment to a substantive judge so that the trial into the serious allegations of terrorism financing and money laundering can begin in earnest.
