The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has lodged a petition against Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking his disqualification from a case involving alleged terrorism financing against the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance and three others.
The anti-graft agency sent the petition to the Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice John Tsoho, stating it no longer had confidence in the trial judge’s ability to conduct the case objectively. The EFCC sought the reassignment of the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/705/2025, which is pending against Yakubu Adamu and three other persons alleged to have financed terrorism.
Adamu, a former manager of a branch of Polaris Bank Plc in Bauchi State, was on December 31, 2025, arraigned on a ten-count charge alongside three alleged accomplices identified as civil servants—Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed. The charges border on conspiracy, conversion of public funds, and alleged terrorism financing.
According to the EFCC, the defendants, without recourse to any financial institution, undertook transactions valued at about $9.7 million. The agency told the court that between January and May 2024, Adamu, working with the state Accountant-General Sirajo Jaja (now at large), Samaila Irmiya Liman (also at large), and the other three defendants who were signatories to Bauchi State Government accounts, gave $2.3 million in cash to Bello Bodejo, the president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and persons associated with him.
Bodejo was previously arrested and charged with three counts of terrorism by the federal government after he unveiled a vigilante group. The charges against him were, however, withdrawn in May 2024.
In its petition to the Chief Judge, the EFCC noted that Justice Umar granted bail to the defendants despite the weight of the allegations and a counter-affidavit giving reasons why they should remain in detention. It further stressed that the defendants had previously been denied bail by the court before the case file was transferred to Justice Umar.
When the case was called up for hearing on Thursday, the trial judge announced his resolve to temporarily step aside from the matter to await the decision of the Chief Judge on EFCC’s petition against him. Despite efforts by defence counsel Chief Chris Uche, SAN, to persuade the court to proceed as scheduled, Justice Umar declined, saying his decision was in the best interest of justice. He subsequently adjourned the case sine die (indefinitely).
Justice Emeka Nwite, who initially handled the case, had on January 5 denied the defendants bail and ordered them remanded at Kuje prison. However, shortly after the matter was reassigned, Justice Umar on January 21 granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties in like sum, dismissing EFCC’s contention that the defendants posed a flight risk.
The EFCC alleged in the charge that the defendants illegally obtained funds for Bodejo and his associates with the approval of Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed. The prosecution told the court that the cash was handed to Bodejo even though the defendants had reasonable grounds to believe the funds would be used, in whole or in part, to finance a terrorist or terrorist group. The defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
