The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on April 1, 2026, arraign former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido before Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, over an alleged N1.3 billion fraud.
Lamido is expected to be arraigned alongside his two sons, Aminu Lamido and Mustapha Lamido, as well as two companies linked to the family, Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendants allegedly committed the offences through the acceptance of kickbacks and the award of fictitious contracts while Lamido served as governor of Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015.
The new arraignment date was fixed after the defendants failed to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment on March 13.
Defence counsel Joe Agi, SAN, apologised for their absence, explaining that the arraignment notice reached the defendants at short notice. He assured the court that they would be present on the next adjourned date.
However, prosecution counsel Chile Okoroma, SAN, expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of the defendants, insisting that they were properly served with the arraignment notice in good time.
Okoroma also disclosed that the prosecution had written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, requesting that the initial trial judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu, who has been transferred to Calabar, be brought back to Abuja to continue the trial.
Justice Lifu, however, described the request as an administrative matter to be determined by the Chief Judge and proceeded to fix April 1 for the fresh arraignment.
The EFCC had originally charged the defendants in 2015 on a 27-count charge bordering on money laundering, official corruption and abuse of office involving about N1.3 billion.
After the prosecution presented 17 witnesses and closed its case, the defendants filed a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence presented was insufficient for them to enter a defence.
In November 2022, Justice Ojukwu dismissed the application and ordered the defendants to open their defence.
The defendants subsequently appealed the ruling, and in July 2023 the Court of Appeal upheld their no-case submission and discharged them, ruling that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked jurisdiction and that the case should have been tried in Jigawa State where the alleged offences occurred.
The EFCC later approached the Supreme Court to challenge the appellate court’s decision.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on January 16, 2026, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Abubakar Umar set aside the Court of Appeal ruling and held that the defendants had a case to answer.
The apex court subsequently ordered that the matter be returned to the Federal High Court for continuation of trial, paving the way for the fresh arraignment.
- Navy destroys illegal crude oil storage site in Rivers - March 13, 2026
- EFCC to arraign Sule Lamido, sons over N1.3bn fraud April 1 - March 13, 2026
- Court orders interim forfeiture of N1.3bn hotel linked to Ikeja chamber MD - March 13, 2026
