The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday adjourned indefinitely the alleged terrorism-financing case against Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu.
The trial judge, Mohammed Umar, ordered the adjournment after informing parties that the prosecution had written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court expressing reservations about the handling of the case and requesting that it be reassigned to another judge.
According to the court, the Chief Judge had yet to respond to the request at the time of the proceedings, making it inappropriate to continue with the hearing pending an administrative decision.
Counsel to the prosecution, M.O. Adebayo, confirmed the development, prompting strong objections from the defence team. Defence counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), expressed surprise over the prosecution’s action, arguing that any correspondence seeking the transfer of a case should have been copied to the defence to ensure transparency and fairness.
He described the move as procedurally unfair, insisting that the defence had been denied the opportunity to respond to the concerns raised by the prosecution. Uche maintained that such unilateral communication could undermine confidence in the judicial process.
The senior advocate also drew the court’s attention to a pending application seeking the temporary release of Adamu’s international passport to enable him travel for official duties related to Hajj preparations in Bauchi State. He urged the court to consider the application despite the administrative issues surrounding the case.
In his remarks, Justice Umar explained that the matter had taken on an administrative dimension following the prosecution’s letter to the Chief Judge. He stated that it would be improper for him to proceed with substantive hearings while a request for reassignment was under consideration. He subsequently adjourned the case sine die, pending further directive from the Chief Judge.
While the prosecution supported an indefinite adjournment until the case is reassigned, the defence objected, warning that leaving the matter without a specific date could delay justice. Nevertheless, the court maintained its decision to await administrative guidance.
Adamu and three other defendants are standing trial in a 10-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The charges border on alleged terrorism financing and money laundering.
The prosecution alleges that between January and May 2024, the defendants conspired to divert millions of dollars belonging to the Bauchi State Government to individuals purportedly linked to terrorist activities. The alleged offences are said to contravene provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendants had earlier been arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case now awaits further administrative action before it can proceed.
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