The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), yesterday directly linked Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, to the alleged approval of public funds now at the centre of a terrorism-financing trial, as it arraigned the state’s Commissioner for Finance and three other officials before the Federal High Court in Abuja over transactions totalling about $9.7 million.
In documents filed before the court, the EFCC directly tied the alleged terrorism-linked payments to approvals issued at the highest level of the Bauchi State government, stating that the funds were released “pursuant to approvals granted by the executive Governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Bala Muhammed, having reasonable grounds to believe, that the said funds would be used, in whole or in part to finance a terrorist or terrorist group, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) and punishable under Section 21(2)(a) of the terrorism(Prevention and Prohibition)Act, 2022”.
The EFCC investigators said the governor granted approval despite knowing that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that the funds would be used to finance terrorist activities.
Those arraigned are: Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu; Balarabe Abdullahi Ilelah; Aminu Mohammed Bose; and Kabiru Yahaya Mohammed. They appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a ten-count charge bordering on conspiracy, conversion of public funds, money laundering, and alleged terrorism financing.
Prosecution counsel, Samuel Chime, told the court that the case was fixed for arraignment and asked that the charge, dated and filed on December 30, 2025, be read to the defendants.
When the charges were read, all four defendants pleaded ‘not guilty’.
Following the pleas, the prosecution asked the court to fix a trial date to enable it open its case.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to January 5, 2026, for ruling on the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the court’s decision.
