By Nkechi Eze
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has ordered a former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Mustapha and Aminu, alongside other defendants, to resume trial and enter their defence over an alleged ₦1.35 billion fraud case at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The apex court gave the directive on Friday, January 16, 2026, in two unanimous judgments delivered by a five-member panel in appeals filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
The EFCC had challenged the judgments of July 25, 2023, in which the appellate court upheld a no-case submission by Lamido and others and struck out the 43-count amended charge on grounds that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
In an official statement signed by the Commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, it was disclosed that the Supreme Court set aside the Court of Appeal’s judgments and affirmed the ruling of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had earlier dismissed the no-case submission and ordered the defendants to open their defence.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Abubakar Umar held that the Court of Appeal erred in law by discharging the defendants despite evidence placed before the trial court linking them to the alleged offences. The apex court consequently ordered that the trial should proceed on its merits.
The EFCC had, in the 43-count charge, accused Lamido of money laundering and abuse of office while serving as governor of Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015. The other defendants include his sons, Aminu and Mustapha; Aminu Wada Abubakar; and corporate entities, namely Bamaina Holdings Limited and Speeds International Limited.
According to the charge, Lamido allegedly used his position as governor to receive gratification from companies awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government, with proceeds allegedly laundered through various bank accounts linked to him, his sons and associated companies.
One of the counts alleged that on or about December 15, 2008, Lamido converted ₦14.85 million paid by Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company Nigeria Limited into an account belonging to Bamaina Holdings, with the intent of concealing the illicit origin of the funds, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.
Another count alleged that on April 21, 2009, he similarly converted ₦14.99 million paid by the same construction company, said to represent proceeds of gratification linked to contracts awarded by the Jigawa State Government.
In a further count, Lamido, his two sons and Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited were accused of retaining ₦48 million paid by Interior Woodwork Limited in February 2012, allegedly knowing the funds to be proceeds of unlawful gratification connected to a state contract, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
The final count accused a co-defendant, Bartholomew Darlington Agoha, of aiding the alleged money laundering scheme by signing false waybills, local purchase orders and contract documents to help conceal the origin of the funds.
At the Supreme Court, the EFCC argued that the Court of Appeal wrongly discharged the defendants despite evidence tendered at trial linking them to the alleged offences. The apex court agreed, ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case sufficient to require the defendants to enter their defence.
With the Supreme Court’s decision, the case is set to return to the Federal High Court, Abuja, for continuation of trial.
