From Ahmad Saka,Bauchi
Bauchi State Commissioner of finance Dr Yakubu Adamu has received a hero’s welcome Thursday on his return to Bauchi after he was granted bail by the Federal High Court in Abuja on alleged terrorism financing case currently before the court.
A mammoth crowd besieged the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport to receive the Commissioner and his entourage.
The supporters, who converged from different parts of Bauchi State, received the commissioner with prayers and chants, expressing confidence in his innocence and solidarity as the legal proceedings continue.
Due to the large crowd that received him, the commissioner’s convoy moved at a snail pace from the airport to the city. The enthusiastic crowd sang and danced as they joined the Adamu’s convoy to the city.
Some of the supporters, who spoke to newsmen, described the court’s decision to grant bail as a positive development and urged the public to remain calm and allow the judicial process to take its course.
Addressing the gathering later at his family residence, Dr. Yakubu Adamu expressed appreciation to the people of Bauchi State and others for their prayers and support throughout the period of the trial.
He called on his supporters to remain law-abiding and to continue to respect constituted authorities.
The commissioner also urged residents of the state to continue to support the administration of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed in its efforts to fast-track development across the state.
You would recalled that A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Bauchi State commissioner for finance, Yakubu Adamu, and three other defendants to report weekly to the Department of State Services (DSS) until the conclusion of their ongoing trial on charges of terrorism financing and money laundering.
Justice Mohammed Umar issued the directive as part of stringent conditions attached to the N100m bail granted to the defendants. In his ruling, the judge said the accused had placed sufficient materials before the court to justify the exercise of judicial discretion in their favour.
Each defendant was ordered to produce two sureties, who must be a permanent secretary and a director in the civil service, and to deposit their international passports with the court registry. Justice Umar adjourned the matter until 26 February for the commencement of trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the defendants on 10 counts bordering on terrorism financing and money laundering. Standing trial alongside Adamu are Balarabe Ilelah, Aminu Bose and Kabiru Mohammed, all described by the prosecution as senior civil servants in Bauchi State.
The defendants had earlier been denied bail in December by Justice Emeka Nwite, who was sitting as a vacation judge. At the time, Nwite ruled that the allegations against them were too serious to warrant their release, citing concerns over national security and public safety.
Following the reassignment of the case after the court’s vacation, the defendants were re-arraigned before Justice Umar on 16 January and pleaded not guilty to all charges. Arguments on their renewed bail application were heard and reserved for ruling on 21 January.
In urging the court to grant bail, defence counsel Chris Uche, a senior advocate of Nigeria, told the court that new and additional facts had emerged since the earlier refusal. He argued that Bello Bodejo, president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and named in nine of the 10 counts, had never been convicted of any terrorism-related offence.
Uche said that although Bodejo had previously been charged by the federal government in a separate case, the charge was withdrawn and dismissed by the court on 29 May 2024. He also contended that there was no proscription order in the federal government’s official gazette designating Bodejo or his organisation as a terrorist entity, as required under section 48(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
According to the defence, the absence of such designation weakened the prosecution’s case and justified the grant of bail. Uche further relied on provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, urging the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the defendants.
Adamu, a former branch manager of Polaris Bank in Bauchi state, and the other accused were first arraigned on 31 December 2025. On 5 January 2026, Justice Nwite refused their bail application and ordered their remand at the Kuje correctional centre, fixing 13 January for trial. The case file was later returned to the chief judge for reassignment after the end of the court’s vacation.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/705/2025, was filed on 30 December 2025 by EFCC counsel Samuel Chime. In one of the counts, the defendants and two others said to be at large are accused of conspiring between January and May 2024 to provide $2.3m in cash for the benefit of Bello Bodejo and persons associated with him.
The funds were allegedly approved by the Bauchi state government and used, in whole or in part, to finance a terrorist group, an offence said to be contrary to section 26(1) and punishable under section 21(2)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.
The case remains pending before the Federal High Court, while Dr. Yakubu Adamu is expected to continue to comply with the bail conditions.
