The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, seeking the withdrawal of Justice Mohammed Umar from a high-profile terrorism financing case involving Bauchi State’s Commissioner for Finance and three others.
In its complaint to Chief Judge John Tsoho, the anti-graft agency said it had lost confidence in the judge’s ability to handle the proceedings impartially and requested that the charge be reassigned to another court.
The application concerns charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/705/2025 filed against Yakubu Adamu and three civil servants—Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed—over allegations bordering on conspiracy, diversion of public funds and terrorism financing.
The matter came up on Thursday at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, where Justice Umar announced he would temporarily step aside pending a decision on the petition. He thereafter adjourned the case sine die, despite efforts by defence counsel, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, to proceed.
Adamu, a former branch manager of Polaris Bank Plc in Bauchi State, was arraigned on December 31, 2025, on a 10-count charge under provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The EFCC alleged that the defendants conducted cash transactions totalling about $9.7 million without passing through any financial institution.
The prosecution further alleged that between January and May 2024, the commissioner, alongside the state’s Accountant-General, Sirajo Jaja, Samaila Irmiya Liman and the co-defendants, delivered $2.3 million in cash to Bello Bodejo and his associates. It claimed the funds were released with knowledge they could be used, wholly or partly, to finance terrorism.
Bodejo, president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, had earlier been arrested and charged with three counts under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, though the charge was withdrawn in May 2024 before arraignment. The EFCC also told the court that some suspects, including the Accountant-General, are at large.
In its petition, the commission faulted Justice Umar’s decision to grant bail after another judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, had on January 5 refused bail and ordered remand at Kuje prison. Following reassignment, Justice Umar on January 21 admitted each defendant to bail in the sum of N100 million with two sureties, directed them to surrender their passports and report weekly to the DSS in Bauchi. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
