The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to produce the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, for arraignment on December 30.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Wednesday after the EFCC failed, for the second time, to present Mr Adamu—a former Polaris Bank manager—for arraignment on six counts of alleged ₦4.6 billion money laundering.
The EFCC filed the charges on December 19 against Mr Adamu and a company, Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd.
The defendants were initially scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, but proceedings could not take place as neither the EFCC nor the defendants appeared in court, despite the presence of defence lawyers. The court subsequently adjourned the matter to Wednesday.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel, Samuel Chime, apologised for the prosecution’s absence the previous day. He told the court that the commission intended to amend the charge to include additional suspects and said the suspects had written to the EFCC indicating their readiness to honour invitations.
Mr Chime therefore applied for an extension of the remand order to allow all defendants to be arraigned together on December 30.
However, lead defence counsel, Gordy Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), opposed the application, accusing the prosecution of acting in bad faith.
“There is already a charge before the court against the defendant which he can take a plea on,” he said.
Mr Uche further disclosed that the EFCC had already responded to a bail application without indicating that investigations were still ongoing or that other suspects were being sought.
He also drew attention to the broader consequences of Mr Adamu’s continued detention, stating that “since his detention, more than 60,000 workers have not been paid.”
He urged the court to stand the matter down and compel the production of the defendant.
In response, Mr Chime maintained that investigations had been concluded, adding that the prosecution only sought a joint arraignment of all defendants.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite expressed dissatisfaction with the EFCC’s handling of the case.
The judge questioned why the commission filed charges without being prepared to proceed, describing its conduct as unfair, unprofessional, and “uncalled for.”
He warned that failure to produce the defendant at the next sitting would attract sanctions. “Go and tell your chairman,” the judge said.
The court subsequently fixed December 30 for the arraignment.
According to the EFCC, Mr Adamu, while serving as Branch Manager of Polaris Bank Ltd in Bauchi, allegedly conspired with Ishaku Mohammed Aliyu, Managing Director of Makayye Investment Resources Ltd, and Muntaka Mohammed Duguri—both reportedly at large—to launder about ₦4.65 billion between June and December 2023.
The prosecution alleged that the funds were released under the pretext of financing the supply of motorcycles for the Bauchi State Government through Emmanuel Asomugha General Enterprises, but the motorcycles were never delivered.
Another count accused the defendants of retaining and transferring proceeds of an unlawful act through nominees and third parties, including the alleged transfer of ₦165.9 million to Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd.
The EFCC said the alleged offences contravene and are punishable under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.