The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday filed a fresh charge against Yakubu Adamu, Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, and others for alleged terrorism financing to the tune of $9.7 million.
Mr Adamu, alongside Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, the second to fourth defendants, respectively, will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Wednesday on 10 counts.
Though EFCC’s lawyer, Samuel Chime, had earlier prayed the court to allow Mr Adamu and his co-defendants to take their plea on Tuesday when the sister case was heard, Justice Nwite fixed Wednesday for their arraignment.
The judge held that the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/705/2025, dated and filed December 30 by Mr Chime, was not in the court file.
In count one, Mr Adamu and Sirajo Jaja (while being Accountant-General of Bauchi State, now at large), Samaila Irmiya Liman (now at large), and Messrs Ilelah, Bose, and Mohammed (all being civil servants and signatories to Bauchi State government’s accounts and/or payment instruments) were alleged to have committed the offence sometime between January 2024 and May 2024.
They were alleged to have conspired to provide funds in the aggregate amount of $2,300,000,000 in cash for the benefit of Bello Bodejo and persons associated with him, pursuant to approvals granted by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
The said funds were alleged to be used, in whole or in part, to finance a terrorist or terrorist group.
The offence is contrary to Section 26(1) and punishable under Section 21(2)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In count three, Messrs Adamu, Jaja (now at large), Liman (now at large), Ilelah, Bose, and Mohammed were alleged to have committed the offence sometime between January 2024 and May 2024.
They were accused of being involved in an arrangement that resulted in $500,000.00 being delivered in cash to Mr Bodejo and persons associated with him for the purpose of terrorism and for the benefit of a proscribed terrorist group pursuant to approvals granted by Governor Mohammed.
The offence is contrary to Section 21(3)(b) and punishable under Section 21(4)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count four accused the defendants, including Messrs Jaja and Liman, of having conspired to disguise the origin of the $2,300,000.00, being Bauchi State government’s funds, routed through Bureau de Change (BDC) operators and other nominees, and converting the same to U.S. dollars for the benefit of Mr Bodejo and persons associated with him.
It said this was pursuant to approvals granted by Governor Mohammed, having reasonable grounds to know that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.
The offence is contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In count eight, the defendants, including Messrs Jaja and Liman (who are at large), were alleged to have, sometime in the year 2024, conspired to disguise the origin of $6,950,000.00 for the benefit of the finance commissioner, being proceeds of unlawful activity routed from Bauchi State government’s funds through the BDC operators.
The offence is contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, among other counts.
Justice Nwite, in the earlier charge that bordered on alleged N4.6 billion money laundering offences, had ordered the remand of Mr Adamu at the EFCC’s facility pending his arraignment alongside his co-defendants on Wednesday.
(NAN)
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