Court Sends Bauchi Finance Commissioner to Kuje Prison Over ₦4.6bn

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, at the Kuje Correctional Centre.

The order followed his arraignment over alleged financial crimes involving N4.6 billion.

The court said Adamu would remain in custody pending a ruling on his bail application.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order on Tuesday after lawyers to both sides addressed the court on bail.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission opposed the request.

Adamu was arraigned alongside a company, Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd.
Both defendants were docked on a six-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering.

The EFCC accused them of converting and moving funds said to have been fraudulently obtained.
The alleged offences are linked to transactions carried out in 2023.

According to the charge, Adamu allegedly acted while serving as Branch Manager of Polaris Bank in Bauchi.
The prosecution claimed the funds were released under the pretext of financing motorcycles for the Bauchi State Government.

The court heard that the motorcycles were never supplied.
The EFCC alleged that the money was instead diverted through several accounts.

Part of the charge reads:
“The motorcycles were not supplied, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

The anti-graft agency also accused Adamu and two other suspects, who are currently at large, of routing proceeds of the alleged crime through third parties.
The sum of N165.9 million was said to have been transferred to Ayab Agro Products as part of the transaction.

When the case was called, the EFCC confirmed it was ready to proceed with arraignment.
The charges were read to the defendants in open court.

Adamu and the company pleaded not guilty to all six counts.
The prosecution then asked the court to fix a trial date.

However, Adamu’s lawyer informed the court that a bail application had already been filed.
He urged the judge to grant bail on liberal terms.

The defence argued that the commissioner was needed to perform critical state duties.
Reference was made to the payment of workers’ salaries in Bauchi State.

The EFCC opposed the application.
It told the court that a counter affidavit had been filed to block the bail request.

Justice Nwite said the court would take a short time to rule on the matter.
He then ordered that Adamu be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.

The judge adjourned the case until January 2, 2026, for ruling on the bail application.

After the adjournment, the EFCC informed the court of a fresh development.
The commission said additional suspects had reported to its office.

The prosecution disclosed that a new charge had been filed against those suspects, including Adamu.
It asked the court to allow the fresh charge to be read immediately.

Justice Nwite declined the request.
He said the charge was not yet before the court.

The arraignment on the new charge was adjourned to Wednesday.

At the EFCC’s request, the court also approved that Adamu be temporarily held in the commission’s custody for ease of logistics.