The Federal High Court in Abuja has declined bail applications filed by the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and three other defendants standing trial over alleged terrorism financing and money laundering offences.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling delivered on Monday, 5 January 2026, refused to grant bail to Adamu alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, citing the gravity of the charges and concerns for public safety.
The defendants were arraigned on Wednesday, 31 December 2025, on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism financing, contrary to Sections 2(1) and 19(1)(d), and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the counts alleges that Adamu, while serving as Commissioner for Finance of Bauchi State, received cash payments totalling $6.95 million in 2024, outside the formal financial system, in violation of the Act. The charge further alleges additional cash transactions amounting to about $1.8 million, as well as attempts to disguise the origin of the funds.
In their bail applications, counsel to the defendants, Chris Uche, SAN, urged the court to exercise its discretion in their favour, arguing that the court had jurisdiction to grant bail and that the defendants were family men with children who would not abscond.
Opposing the applications, prosecution counsel, Chime Samuel, told the court that the defendants were facing serious terrorism-related and money laundering charges, stressing that the nature of the allegations and the scale of the funds involved made them unsuitable for pre-trial release.
In refusing the applications, Justice Nwite held that terrorism-related offences pose a grave threat to social order and that granting bail at this stage could endanger the public. He ruled that the prosecution had raised a reasonable presumption of criminal responsibility against the defendants.
“The interest of justice will be better served by giving this matter accelerated hearing,” the judge said, adding that the bail applications lacked merit.
Justice Nwite consequently ordered an expedited trial and adjourned the matter to Tuesday, 13 January 2026, for commencement of hearing.
