The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has denied bail to the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and three other defendants standing trial over alleged terrorism financing involving $9.7 million.
Delivering his ruling on Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite held that the nature of the charges posed serious threats to national security and public safety, making the grant of bail inappropriate at this stage. He ruled that releasing the defendants could endanger society.
While acknowledging that Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, Justice Nwite stressed that the principle is not absolute, particularly in cases bordering on terrorism. He relied on the Supreme Court’s decision in Bamaiyi v. The State (2001), which empowers courts to weigh the gravity of an offence, the strength of the evidence, and the likely punishment when considering bail applications.
According to the judge, the court carefully examined affidavit evidence, prosecution witness statements, and the wider implications of the alleged offences on social order. He concluded that there was a reasonable presumption of criminal responsibility, justifying the refusal of bail. He subsequently ordered an accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter to January 13.
Adamu and his co-defendants — Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed — had earlier pleaded not guilty to a 10-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on December 31, 2025. The charges include conspiracy to provide $2.3 million to Bello Bodejo and others, an act the prosecution claims was approved by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
Following their arraignment, the defendants were remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.
However, in a separate development, the court granted Adamu bail in a different money laundering case. The bail was set at ₦500 million with two sureties, each required to own verifiable property in Abuja’s Maitama, Asokoro, or Gwarimpa districts, subject to confirmation by the court registry.
The ruling underscores the judiciary’s firm stance on terrorism-related offences, placing national security and public safety above pre-trial release considerations.