Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to produce the Bauchi State Commissioner of Finance, Yakubu Adamu, in court on December 30 for his arraignment over alleged N4.6 billion money laundering.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order on Wednesday after the EFCC failed to present Commissioner Adamu in court to take his plea.
He warned that the prosecuting counsel would be sanctioned if the defendant was not produced on the next adjourned date.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Adamu and a firm, Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd, were earlier listed for arraignment on Tuesday, but proceedings could not be held due to the absence of both the EFCC lawyer and the defendants.
The defence team, led by Gordy Uche, was present in court.
The matter was adjourned to December 24 for arraignment.
However, when the case was called on Wednesday, Adamu was again absent.
EFCC counsel, Samuel Chime, apologised for the earlier absence and told the court that the commission intended to amend the charge to include other defendants who were said to be at large.
“If my lord will notice, the defendant is not in court in that we intend to amend our charge and bring in other defendants who are at large in the charge,” he said.
Mr Chime added that the persons described as being at large had written to the EFCC to indicate they would honour the commission’s invitation.
He therefore applied for an extension of the remand order, which he said was about to expire, to allow for a joint arraignment on December 30.
Mr Uche opposed the application, arguing that it was not made in good faith.
He said the prosecution could amend the charge at any stage before judgement and that a charge was already before the court for which Adamu could take his plea.
He said, “As of today, there is a charge before the court against the defendant which the defendant can take a plea on while the prosecution can amend at any time.”
The senior lawyer also told the court that a bail application had been filed and that the prosecution had already responded without indicating that investigations were ongoing or that other suspects were being sought.
Uche urged the court to stand down the matter to enable Adamu to be produced, noting the impact of his continued detention on the state.
“My lord, the 1st defendant is the commissioner of Finance for Bauchi State.
“Since his detention, more than 60,000 of the workers have not been paid.
“They may even go on Christmas break without salaries. The entire Bauchi State has been shut down,” he said.
Chime maintained that the prosecution only sought an adjournment to ensure a uniform arraignment and insisted that investigations had been concluded.
Justice Nwite questioned why the charge was filed before all defendants were ready and expressed dissatisfaction with the prosecution’s conduct.
“Since you are not ready, why will you bring the charge? I detest this absolutely,” the judge said.
He warned that failure to produce the defendant on the next adjourned date would attract sanctions.
“I must say that if they fail to bring the defendant on the next adjourned date, I will not take it lightly with them,” he added.
The case was adjourned until December 30.
Adamu is the first defendant in the six-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/694/2025, while Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd is the second defendant. The charge was filed on December 19.
In one of the counts, Adamu is alleged to have conspired with others between June and December 2023 to convert, transfer and conceal about N4.65 billion provided by Polaris Bank for the supply of motorcycles to the Bauchi State Government, which were allegedly not supplied.
Another count alleges that parts of the funds were transferred to nominees and third parties, including N165.9 million paid to Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd, contrary to the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
