Court rejects Bauchi finance commissioner’s request to travel for pilgrimage

The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant an application filed by Yakubu Adamu, Commissioner for Finance, Bauchi State, seeking to travel to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on a pilgrimage.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling on Monday, held that Adamu, who is facing an alleged N4.6 billion money laundering charge, failed to place sufficient materials before the court to warrant the grant of the application.

Justice Nwite also agreed with the objection raised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that Adamu’s affidavit attached to the application was defective since it was not signed by the applicant himself.

According to the judge, an unsigned document does not have any probative value in law; hence, the document failed to meet the minimum legal procedure.

He said though he was not unmindful of the fundamental rights of the applicant in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, among others, the judge said such rights are not absolute.

Justice Nwite said a previous case of Ibori cited by Adamu was inapplicable in the instant case since Ibori’s application was hinged on medical grounds.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adamu had, in the motion on notice marked FHC/ABJ/CR/694/2025, sought two reliefs.

He sought an order directing the release of his international passport to enable him to travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.

He also sought an order granting him leave to travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.

In the affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Emmanuel Tsebo, a litigation secretary in the law firm of Chris Uche, SAN & Co, Adamu said he was arraigned on allegations of misappropriation of funds and admitted to bail by the court.

He said the court ordered him to deposit his international passport with the deputy chief registrar of the court for safe custody.

He, however, told the court that he had an urgent need to attend a pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and return to Nigeria on March 21.

Adamu said his performance of Hajj is a highly recommended rite for Muslim faithfuls and forms an integral part of his religious practice.

He undertook to return the travel documents to the registry of the court on or before March 22 and to be in court to attend his trial.

The Bauchi commissioner, who said the grant of the application would not prejudice the prosecution, prayed the court to grant his request in the interest of justice.

NAN reports that Justice Nwite had, on Jan. 2, admitted Adamu to a N500 million bail with two sureties in like sum.

He ordered that Adamu should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

The EFCC had, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/694/2025, named Adamu, who is a former manager of a branch of Polaris Bank Plc in Bauchi State, and a firm, Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd, as 1st and 2nd defendants in the money laundering case involving about N4.6 billion.

The charge is dated and filed on Dec. 19, 2025, by EFCC’s lawyer, Samuel Chime of the Legal and Prosecution Department.

They were alleged to have facilitated and agreed to the conversion, transfer, concealment and use of funds in the sum of about N4,650,000,000.00 (four billion, six hundred and fifty million naira) availed by Polaris Bank under the guise of financing the supply of motorcycles to Bauchi State Government through Emmanuel Asomugha General Enterprises.

“The motorcycles were not supplied, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the count read in part.

Count six accused Adamu, Aliyu and Duguri of retaining and causing the transfer of proceeds of an unlawful act to nominees and third parties by causing parts of the funds connected with the Polaris Bank facility to be paid and circulated through third-party accounts sometime in 2023.

It further alleged that the transfer included the one made through I.S. Makayye Investment Resources Ltd and the transfer of #165,900,000.00 to Ayab Agro Products and Freight Company Ltd.

The funds were said to have formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.

The offence is contrary to Section 20(a) and punishable under Section 20 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, among other counts.

The defendants were arraigned on Dec. 30, 2025, but pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge.

Adamu and three other co-defendants, who are Bauchi State workers, are also facing another criminal charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing to the tune of $9.7 million before Justice Umar.

Justice Umar had, on Feb. 26, adjourned the case sine die (indefinitely), following a petition by the EFCC that sought the transfer of the matter from the judge.

The anti-graft agency, in a petition to the chief judge, expressed discomfort with the handling of the matter and requested that the case be transferred to another court. (NAN)

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