Alleged N1.35b Fraud: Absence of Defence Counsel Stalls Trial of Lamido, Sons

By Vivian Okejeme

The absence of the lead defence counsel, Joe Agi, SAN, Monday, stalled the trial of former Jigawa State governor and his two sons, Aminu Lamido and Mustapha Lamido at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting the defendants on 37-count charge, involving alleged money laundering, kick-backs and fictitious contract awards to the tune of N1.35 billion.

The prosecution alleged Sule Lamido the offence while he was the Jigawa State governor from 2007-2015.

At the resumed proceedings, prosecution counsel, Chile Okoroma, SAN, notified the court of a letter from the lead defence counsel, informing him of his absence in court owing to some medical issues involving a surgery and requested for an adjournment.

While wishing the defence counsel well, Okoroma submitted that Agi ought to have delegated another counsel in his team to appear for him so that the trial can continue, especially as the matter has lingered in court since 2015.

Besides, the EFCC counsel pointed to the fact that the presiding judge flew in from her Calabar, Cross river State jurisdiction to preside over the matter at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Consequently, he prayed the court for just one day’s adjournment.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu ruled in favour of the prosecution and adjourned the matter till Tuesday, 21st, for continuation of trial.

Recall that EFCC had in 2015, charged Lamido, his two sons and their companies before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 27 counts charge of money laundering involving N1.35 billion allegedly siphoned from the state in a money laundering scheme.

After EFCC had called more than 16 witnesses and closed its case, the defendants filed a no‑case submission, arguing that the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence to require them to open their defence.

But trial judge Ijeoma Ojukwu dismissed the submission and ordered them to enter defence in November 2022.

Lamido went on appeal against the ruling and in July 2023, the Court of Appeal upheld the no‑case submission and ruled that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked jurisdiction to sit on the case in the first place.

The appellate court held that the trial should have been conducted in Jigawa State, where the alleged offences occurred.

However, in August 2023, EFCC proceeded to the Supreme Court asking it to overturn the Court of Appeal decision.

On January 16, 2026, the Apex court, set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal that discharged Sule Lamido and his sons, Mustapha and Aminu, of money laundering charges.

In a unanimous judgment delivered Justice Abubakar Umar, the five-member panel held that the defendants had a case to answer.

Consequently, the Apex court had ordered that the matter be returned to the Federal High Court for continuation of trial.