Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that the case file involving the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment to a substantive judge.
Delivering the ruling on Tuesday, Justice Nwite explained that the matter was handled during the court’s vacation period and could no longer be continued by him.
He said the appropriate step was for the case to be reassigned by the Chief Judge for a substantive hearing.
Yakubu Adamu is standing trial alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, following their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
The defendants are facing a 10-count charge bordering on alleged 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 charges alleges that Adamu, in his capacity as Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, received cash payments totalling $6.95 million outside the banking system sometime in 2024, an act the EFCC said violates the provisions of the Act.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On Monday, January 5, 2026, the court had refused their bail applications and ordered that they be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the commencement of trial.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, counsel to the defendants, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), informed the court that the defence was ready to proceed with the trial.
The EFCC also announced a change in its prosecution team, presenting Adebayo Ojo as the new counsel handling the case.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite said there was no dispute as to the status of the case, stressing that it was a vacation matter already returned to the court registrar for onward transmission to the Chief Judge.
The case file has now been forwarded to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment to another judge for the continuation of proceedings.
