The Supreme Court has ordered that the trial of former Governor Sule Lamido, his two sons, and other defendants over an alleged ₦1.35 billion fraud should continue before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A five-member panel of the apex court issued the directive in two unanimous judgments delivered in appeals filed by the EFCC.
The court upheld the decision of the trial court, which dismissed the no-case submissions filed by Lamido and the other defendants, ruling that they had a case to answer.
The appeals challenged the July 25, 2023 judgments of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had upheld the no-case submissions and struck out the 37-count charge against the defendants on the grounds that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.
In the lead judgments, Justice Abubakar Umar set aside the appellate court’s rulings and affirmed the earlier decision of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which overruled the no-case submissions and ordered the defendants to open their defence.
The EFCC alleged in the 37-count charge that Lamido abused his office as governor between 2007 and 2015 by laundering funds allegedly received as kickbacks from companies awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government under his administration.
Those charged alongside Lamido include his sons, Aminu and Mustapha; Aminu Wada Abubakar; and two companies—Bamaina Holdings Limited and Speeds International Limited.
The Supreme Court’s ruling clears the way for the long-running trial to proceed, marking a significant development in one of Nigeria’s high-profile corruption cases.
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