Court remands Bauchi Finance Commissioner over alleged money laundering
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, be remanded in custody as he faces trial on alleged money laundering charges. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Adamu alongside Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd on six counts that include alleged laundering of about N4.6 billion, in connection with a purported contract to supply motorcycles to the Bauchi State Government that was never fulfilled. Adamu and the company pleaded not guilty to the charges, but when the matter was called before Justice Emeka Nwite, the court denied his bail application and ordered that he be held at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending a ruling on bail, which is now set for January 2, 2026. During proceedings, the prosecution opposed the bail motion and asked for an accelerated hearing of the case, emphasising the seriousness of the allegations that the funds were converted, transferred, concealed and used in ways that allegedly violated Nigeria’s Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The EFCC also informed the court that additional defendants have been identified and charged, but the judge ruled that fresh charges could not yet be taken because they were not before the court at the time. Adamu’s remand underscores the ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to tackle high-profile financial crimes and ensure accountability in public sector financial dealings.
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