The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday filed a petition against Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court Abuja, demanding his disqualification from a case involving alleged terrorism financing.

In the petition to the Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice John Tsoho, the agency said it no longer had confidence in the judge’s ability to conduct the case objectively, seeking the reassignment of the case against the Bauchi State Commissioner for Finance, Yakubu Adamu, and three other persons alleged to have financed terrorism.

Adamu was arraigned on December 31, 2025, on 10 counts alongside three of his alleged accomplices, identified as civil servants – Balarabe Ilelah, Aminu Bose, and Kabiru Mohammed. The charges border on conspiracy, conversion of public funds, and alleged terrorism financing. According to the EFCC, the defendants, without recourse to any financial institution, undertook transactions valued at about $9.7 million.

It told the court that between January 2024 and May 2024, the Adamu, working in cahoots with the Accountant General of the state Sirajo Jaja, Samaila Liman, and the other three defendants, who were signatories to the Bauchi State Government accounts, gave $2.3 million in cash to Bello Bodejo and persons associated with him. Bodejo, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore President, was previously arrested and charged with three counts of terrorism by the Federal Government.

However, the charges were withdrawn in May 2024 before the defendant, who was initially detained, could be arraigned. Meanwhile, when the case was called up for hearing yesterday, the judge announced his resolve to temporarily step aside from the matter to await the decision of the CJ on EFCC’s petition against him. Despite efforts by lawyer for the defendant, Chris Uche (SAN), to persuade the court to proceed with the case as scheduled, Justice Umar declined, saying his decision was in the best interest of justice. He subsequently adjourned the case sine die (indefinitely).