Crime
$9.7m Terror-financing Saga: Court Denies Defendants Bail
The Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja has turned down the bail application filed by the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and his co-defendants.
Biztellers reports that they are standing trial over allegations of terrorism financing to the tune of $9.7 million.
In a ruling on Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite held that the charges brought against the defendants posed a threat to national security and public safety.
He further stated that terrorism-related offences undermine the nation’s social order and that releasing the defendants on bail ahead of trial could endanger the public.
The court, however, ordered an accelerated hearing of the case, noting that while Section 36(5) of the Constitution presumes an accused person innocent until proven guilty, the provision is “not absolutely right.”
“I am not unmindful of the constitutional provision of Section 36(5) which provides that every person who is charged with a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until he is proven guilty.
“But I must not hesitate to state that the said constitutional provision is not absolutely right. In the consideration of an application for bail, all factors have to be considered,” Justice Nwite said.
Citing the 2001 case of Bamaiyi v. The State, the judge noted that the Supreme Court held that “it is proper to consider the nature of the offence, the nature of the evidence in support of it, and the severity of the punishment which conviction will entail.”
He said the court had taken these critical factors, including the likelihood of the defendants standing trial, into account, stressing that “these are not matters that should be glossed over.”
He added that, “I cannot say more than this erudite jurist. Our criminal justice system has its stipulations and safeguards for the prosecutor, the accused and the victim.
“In the proper operation of that system, it can be said that it is in the interest of the society, and with those safeguards, that if in an application for bail pending trial there is good reason to believe or strongly agree that the accused will not jump bail, thereby making himself available to stand trial, and/or will not interfere with witnesses thereby constituting an obstacle in the way of justice, the court will be acting within its undoubted discretion to grant bail.
“I have carefully considered the affidavit evidence available before me at this point in time.
“And I have also considered the proof of evidence, especially the statement of Dan Lawan Abdulmumuni and other prosecution witnesses, together with the grave threat to national security and public safety this case poses.
“And I have also taken cognizance that terrorism-related offences threaten social order and that pre-trial release could endanger the public,” the judge said.
“In my view, the prosecution/respondent has succeeded in raising a reasonable presumption of criminal responsibility on the part of the applicants (Adamu and co-defendants).
“In view of the foregoing, I am of the humble view, and I so hold, that the interest of justice will be met by giving the matter accelerated hearing.
“Consequently, the application is hereby refused,” he ruled.
Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter until January 13 for the commencement of trial.
The Commissioner and his co-defendants — Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah, Aminu Mohammed Bose and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed, the 2nd to 4th defendants respectively — were remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre following their arraignment on a 10-count charge on December 31, 2025, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge had fixed Monday, January 5, for ruling on their bail applications.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts preferred against them by the anti-graft agency.
In count one, Adamu; Sirajo Jaja (then Accountant-General of Bauchi State, now at large); Samaila Irmiya Liman (now at large); Balarabe Ilelah; Aminu Bose; and Kabiru Mohammed (all alleged to be civil servants and signatories to Bauchi State Government accounts and/or payment instruments) were accused of committing the offence sometime between January and May 2024.
They were alleged to have conspired to provide cash totalling $2,300,000 for the benefit of Bello Bodejo and persons associated with him, pursuant to approvals granted by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
Meanwhile, on Friday, the court granted Adamu bail in the sum of N500 million in a separate money-laundering case, with two sureties in like sum.
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The court ordered that the sureties must be landowners in Maitama, Asokoro or Gwarimpa districts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and that their property documents must be verified by the court registry.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday appeared before the Federal High Court in Kaduna for the continuation of proceedings in his ongoing corruption trial.
El-Rufai arrived at the court around 9:30 a.m. under the escort of officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alongside operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.
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The former governor is facing allegations of abuse of office, fraud, and financial misconduct allegedly committed during his tenure as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023.
According to the prosecution, funds were allegedly released for projects that were either not executed or were irregularly managed.
The ICPC maintains that its investigation uncovered financial infractions linked to the administration of public funds during El-Rufai’s time in office.
However, El-Rufai has denied all allegations against him, insisting that he is innocent and will clear his name through the judicial process.
At Monday’s hearing, the court was expected to continue considering motions and arguments from both the prosecution and defense teams as the case moves forward.
The trial has attracted significant public attention due to El-Rufai’s prominence in Nigeria’s political landscape and the nature of the allegations against him.
Recall that on April 14, 2026, Justice Rilwan Aikawa granted the former governor bail in the sum of ₦200 million.
The bail conditions required him to provide two sureties, including a serving or retired civil servant on Grade Level 15 and a recognized traditional ruler.
Although El-Rufai’s legal team later sought a variation of the bail conditions, previous requests for bail had been denied by another court over concerns that his influence could interfere with ongoing investigations into the case.
A 45-year-old woman, Mrs. Oluchi Ugbowan, has been arrested by the Edo State Police Command for allegedly orchestrating her own kidnapping in a desperate attempt to extort N50 million from her family.
Police said the suspect, alongside three accomplices, staged an elaborate kidnapping drama, complete with videos showing her bound and allegedly held captive, in a bid to convince relatives that she had fallen into the hands of kidnappers.
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The Edo State Police Command disclosed on Tuesday that the scheme was uncovered following a complaint lodged by Mrs. Ugbowan’s husband, Mr. Tony Ugbowan, who reported that his wife had been kidnapped while on her way to her shop at Ramat Park along Agbor Road in Benin City.
According to police spokesperson ASP Eno Ikedem, the husband told investigators that he had received a call from an unknown individual using a concealed phone number, demanding a ransom of N50 million for his wife’s release.
The report prompted operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit to launch an intensive investigation, combining intelligence gathering and technical tracking to uncover the truth behind the alleged abduction.
The breakthrough came with the arrest of one Israel Ability, 28, at Ramat Park, Agbor Road, Benin City. During the operation, detectives recovered a mobile phone belonging to the supposed victim.
Police said Ability later confessed during interrogation that the kidnapping was staged and that he had been recruited by Mrs. Ugbowan to negotiate ransom payments with her family while pretending she had been abducted.
Further investigations led officers to a hotel in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, where Mrs. Ugbowan was arrested on June 5, 2026.
During questioning, she allegedly admitted to masterminding the fake kidnapping and subsequently led investigators to the residence of another suspect, Ochukwudem Uwadia, 38, in Delta State.
According to the police, Uwadia’s residence served as the location where the fake kidnapping videos were produced.
The clips reportedly showed Mrs. Ugbowan with her hands and feet tied while emotional appeals for ransom were directed at her family.
Investigators also discovered that Uwadia’s 18-year-old son, Chibuzor Ochukwudem, allegedly participated in the scheme and was seen pointing a firearm at Mrs. Ugbowan’s head in the videos to make the kidnapping appear genuine.
Police said all four suspects connected to the alleged conspiracy have now been arrested.
A search conducted at the premises used for the production of the videos led to the recovery of an automatic pump-action gun allegedly used during the recording of the ransom footage.
The Edo State Police Command said the suspects will face prosecution upon the conclusion of investigations, warning members of the public against engaging in criminal schemes disguised as kidnapping incidents.
The European Union has imposed a €200 million fine on Chinese-owned online retail platform Temu over the sale of illegal and unsafe products across its marketplace.
EU regulators announced the penalty on Thursday, accusing the e-commerce giant of failing to properly prevent dangerous items from reaching consumers within the bloc.
According to the European Commission, European shoppers were highly likely to encounter illegal products on Temu, including unsafe baby toys, defective chargers, and jewellery that failed safety standards.
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The EU said Temu failed to adequately assess the risks linked to illegal products being sold on its platform, adding that the company underestimated the level of harm such items could pose to consumers.
EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen said Temu’s rapid expansion in Europe made the issue more concerning, noting that millions of users could potentially be exposed to unsafe products.
Temu, however, disagreed with the decision and described the fine as “disproportionate.” The company stated that it had cooperated with regulators and already introduced additional measures to improve platform governance and user safety.
The sanction was issued under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, a major law aimed at holding large digital platforms accountable for illegal content and consumer risks online.
The platform, which entered the European market in 2023, has grown rapidly and now boasts about 130 million users within the EU.
Regulators also disclosed that investigations into other suspected breaches by Temu are still ongoing, including concerns over addictive app features and its recommendation systems.
Temu has been given until August 28 to submit a compliance plan outlining how it intends to address the violations or risk facing further penalties.
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