EFCC has arraigned Bauchi Finance Commissioner on ₦4.6bn charges and court ordered his remand in prison.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the remand of Yakubu Adamu, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, pending the determination of his bail application.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after hearing arguments from counsel to the parties following Adamu’s arraignment on a six-count charge of alleged money laundering involving ₦4.6 billion.
Adamu was arraigned alongside a firm, Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd, on charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The defendants were listed as first and second defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/694/2025, dated December 19, 2025.
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At the commencement of proceedings, EFCC counsel, Samuel Chime, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for arraignment and that the prosecution was ready to proceed. Defence counsel, Chief Gordy Uche, SAN, did not oppose the application.
After the charges were read, Adamu and the company pleaded not guilty to all six counts.
According to the EFCC, Adamu allegedly committed the offences while serving as Branch Manager of Polaris Bank Ltd in Bauchi. In count one, the commission alleged that Adamu conspired with Ishaku Aliyu, Managing Director of Makayye Investment Resources Ltd, and Muntaka Mohammed Duguri both said to be at large between June and December 2023 to convert, transfer, conceal and use about ₦4.65 billion.
The funds were allegedly disbursed by Polaris Bank under the pretext of financing the supply of motorcycles to the Bauchi State Government through Emmanuel Asomugha General Enterprises. The motorcycles were, however, never supplied, according to the prosecution.
The EFCC said the alleged conduct contravened Section 21(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In count six, the prosecution accused Adamu and his alleged accomplices of retaining and transferring proceeds of unlawful activities through nominees and third-party accounts. This included the transfer of ₦165.9 million to Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd, which the EFCC said formed part of the proceeds of the alleged fraud. The offence is said to be contrary to Section 20(a) of the same Act.
Following the plea, Chime applied for a trial date, while Uche informed the court that a bail application had been filed on behalf of Adamu. He urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, noting that although the defence had received a counter-affidavit from the prosecution, it would not be responding as the matter had been left to the court’s discretion.
Chime opposed the application, stating that the EFCC had filed a 15-paragraph counter-affidavit on December 22, along with an exhibit, urging the court to deny bail. He also requested an accelerated hearing of the case.
Uche, in response, recalled his earlier plea for Adamu to be released temporarily to the Bauchi State Attorney-General, citing the need to attend to the payment of workers’ salaries in the state.
Justice Nwite, however, said a ruling on the bail application would be delivered on a short date. He subsequently ordered that Adamu be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the ruling and adjourned the matter to January 2, 2026.
Before proceedings ended, Chime informed the court that additional suspects had reported to the EFCC and that a fresh charge, which included Adamu, had been filed. He sought leave for the charge to be read to the defendants.
The judge declined the request, noting that the charge was not yet before the court, and adjourned the arraignment until Wednesday. At the prosecution’s request, Justice Nwite ordered that Adamu remain in EFCC custody pending the next hearing to avoid logistical challenges.
