The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to Yakubu Adamu, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, and three other civil servants facing serious allegations of terrorism financing involving $9.7 million. Justice Mohammed Umar ruled on the matter on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, setting the total bail sum at N400 million.
Okay News reports that the defendants— Adamu, Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose, and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed—were previously denied bail in June 2025 by Justice Emeka Nwite, who had cited national security risks. However, following the reassignment of the case file, Justice Umar held that the prosecution failed to provide concrete evidence that the accused persons posed a flight risk, thereby exercising his discretion to release them pending trial.
The bail conditions are stringent. Each defendant is required to provide a bail bond of N100 million and produce two sureties in the like sum. The court stipulated that one surety must be a serving Permanent Secretary, while the other must be a serving Director in the Civil Service. Additionally, the defendants were ordered to surrender their international passports to the court and must report to the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Bauchi every Monday.
The charges against the officials are grave. The Federal Government alleges that between January and May 2024, the defendants facilitated illegal cash transactions totaling approximately $9.7 million without recourse to financial institutions. Specifically, they are accused of handing over $2.3 million in cash to Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and his associates.
Prosecutors claim these funds were released with the approval of the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, and that the defendants had reasonable grounds to believe the money would be used to finance terrorism or terrorist groups. The charges relate to Bodejo’s previous arrest for allegedly establishing an ethnic militia in Nasarawa State, a separate case that saw terrorism charges withdrawn in May 2024.
The court was also informed that other alleged accomplices, including the Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sirajo Jaja, remain at large. The case has been adjourned until March 26 for the commencement of the hearing.
