The Bauchi State Government has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the arrest and arraignment of some state officials on allegations of terrorism financing, describing the action as political, malicious and an abuse of legal process.
The state’s reaction followed the arraignment of the Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and three senior civil servants before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday over alleged terrorism financing.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Bala Mohammed, Mukhtar Gidado, said the government was deeply worried by what it called the misuse of state institutions to harass public officials and damage the image of the governor.
According to the statement, the officials acted within the law and followed constitutional and financial regulations in the course of their duties.
“To criminalise routine governance functions is to criminalise government itself and endanger public administration across the federation,” the statement said.
The Bauchi government faulted what it described as the late introduction of terrorism and money laundering allegations, noting that such claims only surfaced after questions were raised about the legality of earlier actions.
It stressed that no terrorist group or act had been linked to Bauchi State and that no credible evidence had been presented to support such serious allegations.
“The timing and manner of these allegations raise fears they were introduced as an afterthought, intended to intimidate, scandalise, and damage reputations rather than advance justice,” the statement added.
The government also rejected the EFCC’s claim that the Accountant-General of the state was on the run, explaining that he honoured invitations from the commission, was detained for several days, and was later released on bail.
Gidado further expressed concern that Governor Bala Mohammed’s name was repeatedly mentioned in court documents despite him not being listed as a defendant, describing it as an attempt to subject the governor to public trial and undermine his constitutional immunity.
“The serial mention of the governor’s name is a deliberate attempt to indict him and politically destroy his image. This is unacceptable,” the statement said.
The state warned that the situation could create fear and security risks for the governor, his aides and their families.
While reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accountability, the government insisted that the fight against corruption must be fair, evidence-based and free from political motives.
“Selective justice, retaliatory prosecutions, and the politicisation of law enforcement institutions weaken democracy,” the statement warned.
The Bauchi government called on the Attorney-General of the Federation to review the EFCC’s actions and ensure that constitutional safeguards are respected, including the removal of the governor’s name from the case.
It added that Bauchi State remained peaceful and focused on governance, insisting that political pressure would not distract the administration from serving the people.
