A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to Yakubu Adamu, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, who is facing trial over alleged terrorism financing involving about $9.7 million.
Gatekeepers News reports that the ruling was delivered on Wednesday by Justice Mohammed Umar, who admitted Adamu and the three other defendants to bail in the sum of N100 million each. The judge said the defendants placed enough materials before the court to justify the exercise of discretion in their favour.
As part of the bail conditions, the court directed each defendant to provide two sureties. The sureties must be senior civil servants, specifically a permanent secretary and a director in the civil service. Justice Umar also ordered the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court registry.
In addition, the court directed Adamu and his co-defendants to report every Monday to the Department of State Services office in Bauchi State pending the conclusion of the trial. The case was adjourned to February 26 for the commencement of hearing.
Adamu, a former branch manager of Polaris Bank in Bauchi, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism financing and money laundering.
He is standing trial alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed. All four defendants were arraigned on December 31, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired to make available about $2.3 million in cash for the benefit of Bello Bodejo, president of Miyetti Allah, and individuals linked to him.
The commission alleged that the funds were released following approvals said to have been granted by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State. The EFCC further claimed that the money was used, wholly or partly, to finance a terrorist group, in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The anti-graft agency also accused the defendants of disguising the source of Bauchi State Government funds by moving the money through bureau de change operators and nominees before converting it to United States dollars for unlawful purposes.
Earlier in the proceedings, Justice Emeka Nwite, who initially handled the case as a vacation judge, declined the defendants’ bail requests on January 5. He held that the alleged offences posed serious risks to national security and public safety.
On January 13, Nwite returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment, after which the matter was reassigned to Justice Umar.
