A political pressure group, Independent Public Service Accountability Watch (IPSAW), and the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance have decried the continued detention and failure of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arraign the Finance Commissioner of Bauchi State, Dr Yakubu Adamu, in court over alleged N4.6bn money laundering.

The EFCC had arrested Yakubu on 13 December 2025. The Federal High Court, Abuja, had asked the Commission to present the defendant in court on Wednesday, but it failed to do so, while the judge, Emeka Nwite, ordered the Commission to present Yakubu in court on 30 December 2025.

Meanwhile, the groups, while addressing a press conference in Bauchi on Saturday, lamented the continued detention of Yakubu Adamu in EFCC custody.
Leader of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance, Godiya Adams, said that the refusal to produce Yakubu in court is troubling, given the clear and unambiguous order of the Federal High Court. Despite the directive, the EFCC has failed on more than one occasion to present the Commissioner in court, thereby frustrating judicial proceedings and undermining the authority of the court.

“It is important to place on record that a formal charge containing six counts of alleged money laundering has already been filed before the court. The defence has clearly stated that the Commissioner is ready and willing to take his plea immediately.

“Furthermore, the EFCC itself confirmed in open court that the suspects, including Mr Yakubu, had formally written to the Commission expressing readiness to honour all invitations and appear as required. These facts effectively nullify any justification for continued detention or procedural delay.

“More troubling still is the inconsistency in the EFCC’s position. The Commission had already responded to a bail application without indicating that investigations were ongoing or that additional suspects were being sought, thereby giving the clear impression that investigations had been concluded. It is therefore deeply concerning that the EFCC later sought to justify continued detention on the grounds of amending charges and pursuing a so-called ‘uniform arraignment’, a move that the defence rightly described as an act of bad faith.”

The groups applauded the presiding judge for condemning the conduct of the EFCC and describing it as “unfair, unprofessional, and uncalled for”, while questioning why charges were filed if the prosecution was not ready to proceed with the case.

“Beyond the legal impropriety, the continued detention of the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance has had grave and far-reaching consequences for governance and public welfare. As we speak, over 60,000 civil servants in Bauchi State have not been paid their salaries since the commissioner’s detention,” they stated.