A federal high court in Abuja has refused to grant bail to Yakubu Adamu, Bauchi state commissioner of finance, who is standing trial over alleged terrorism financing amounting to $9.7 million.
The court also refused the bail application of three other defendants standing trial alongside Adamu.
Delivering the ruling on Monday, Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, held that the offences with which the defendants are charged pose a grave threat to national security and public safety.
Nwite said terrorism-related offences threaten social order and that granting pre-trial release could endanger the public, noting that such considerations weighed against the grant of bail.
The judge, however, ordered an accelerated hearing of the case.
“I am not unmindful of the constitutional provision of Section 36(5) which provides that every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until he is proven guilty,” the judge said.
“But I must not hesitate to state that the said constitutional provision is not absolutely right. In the consideration of application for bail, all factors have to be considered.”
Citing a 2001 decision in “Bamaiyi v. State”, the judge noted that the supreme court held that “it is proper to consider the nature of the offence, the nature of the evidence in support of it and the severity of the punishment which conviction will entail”.
According to him, those factors, including the likelihood of the defendants making themselves available for trial, are critical and “are not matters that should be glossed over”.
“I cannot say more than this erudite jurist. Our criminal justice system has its stipulations and safeguards for the prosecutor, the accused and the victim,” Nwite said.
“In the proper operation of that system, it can be said that it is in the interest of the society and with those safeguards, that if an application for bail pending trial, there is a good reason to believe or strongly agreed that the accused will not jump bail — thereby making himself available to stand his trial and/or will not interfere with witnesses thereby constituting an obstacle in the way of justice, the court will be acting within the undoubted discretion to grant bail.”
Nwite added that he had carefully examined the affidavit evidence and proof of evidence before the court, including the statement of one Dan Lawan Abdulmumuni and other prosecution witnesses.
“I have also taken cognisance that terrorism related offences threatened social order and pre-trial release could endanger the public,” he said.
“In my view, the prosecution/respondent has succeeded in raising a reasonable presumption of criminal responsibility on the part of the applicants (Adamu and co-defendants).
“In view of the foregoing, I am of the humble view, and I so hold that the interest of justice will be met by giving the matter accelerated hearing.
“Consequently, the application is hereby refused.”
Nwite adjourned the matter until January 13 for the commencement of trial.
BACKGROUND
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had arraigned Adamu on Wednesday before the court on a 10-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/705/2025.
The commissioner is standing trial alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, listed as second to fourth defendants.
According to the EFCC, the defendants allegedly conspired to provide about $2.3 million in cash for the benefit of Bello Bodejo, president of Miyetti Allah, and persons associated with him, pursuant to approvals allegedly granted by Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi.
The commission said the funds were allegedly used, in whole or in part, to finance a terrorist group, contrary to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The EFCC also alleged that the defendants disguised the origin of Bauchi state government funds by routing them through bureau de change operators and nominees before converting the funds to US dollars for unlawful purposes.
Separately, Adamu is standing trial alongside Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd over an alleged N4.6 billion money laundering case, which the EFCC said relates to transactions carried out while he served as a branch manager of Polaris Bank in Bauchi.
In that charge, he was granted bail in the sum of N500 million.
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