Lamido, Sons Face Fresh Arraignment Over Alleged N1.3Bn Fraud
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, arraign former governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido before Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, for the commencement of a fresh trial over an alleged N1.3 billion fraud.
The anti-graft agency, in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale on Friday, said Lamido will be arraigned alongside his two sons, Aminu Lamido and Mustapha Lamido, as well as two companies — Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
The defendants are accused of committing the alleged fraud through kickbacks and fictitious contract awards during Lamido’s tenure as governor between 2007 and 2015.
The new arraignment date followed the failure of the defendants to appear in court for their initial arraignment scheduled for Friday, March 13, 2026.
Defence counsel, Joe Agi, SAN, who apologised for the aborted arraignment, said the defendants’ absence was due to the short notice of the earlier court date. He assured the court that they would be present on the adjourned date of April 1.
However, prosecution counsel, Chile Okoroma, SAN, expressed displeasure over the defendants’ absence, insisting that they were properly served with the arraignment notice well in advance.
He further disclosed that the prosecution had written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, requesting that the original trial judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu—who has since been transferred to Calabar, Cross River State—be brought back to Abuja to continue the trial. Justice Lifu noted that the request was an administrative matter for the Chief Judge to determine and proceeded to fix April 1 for the fresh arraignment.
The EFCC had in 2015 filed a 27-count charge against the defendants before Justice Ojukwu at the Federal High Court, Abuja, bordering on money laundering, official corruption, and abuse of office amounting to N1.3 billion.
After the prosecution called about 17 witnesses and closed its case, the defendants filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient evidence to warrant a defence. In November 2022, Justice Ojukwu dismissed the application and ordered the defendants to open their defence.
Instead, the defendants 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 trial ought to have been conducted in Jigawa State where the alleged offences occurred.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the EFCC approached the Supreme Court of Nigeria in August 2023, seeking to overturn the appellate court’s judgment.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on January 16, 2026, a five-member panel of the apex court led by Abubakar Umar set aside the Court of Appeal ruling, holding that the defendants have a case to answer.
The court also ordered that the matter be returned to the Federal High Court for continuation of trial, paving the way for the fresh arraignment.
