₦1.35bn ‘Fraud’: Supreme Court To Decide Ex-Governor Lamido, Sons’ Case Friday

The Supreme Court will on Friday, January 16, 2026, deliver its judgement in the long-running ₦1.35 billion fraud case involving former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, his sons, Mustapha Lamido and Aminu Lamido.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed the development in a social media post on Thursday, noting that the apex court fixed the date to determine its appeal against the July 25, 2023 decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which discharged the Lamidos of all charges.

The EFCC, dissatisfied with the appellate court’s ruling, had on July 31, 2023, filed an appeal at the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the judgement and remit the case to the trial court for continuation and conclusion.

According to the anti-graft agency, the Court of Appeal erred in law by discharging the defendants despite what it described as “sufficient evidence establishing a prima facie case” against them.

Lamido, his sons Aminu and Mustapha, alongside Aminu Wada Abubakar and their companies Bamaina Holdings Limited and Speeds International Limited, were arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 37-count amended charge bordering on money laundering and abuse of office.

The EFCC alleged that Lamido, who governed Jigawa between 2007 and 2015, laundered funds amounting to ₦1.35 billion, purportedly received as kickbacks from contractors, who executed state government projects.

The trial, which began in 2015, saw the EFCC calling over 16 witnesses before closing its case. However, instead of opening their defence, the defendants filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish any wrongdoing.

Justice Ojukwu, in her ruling, dismissed the no-case submission and held that the defendants had a case to answer, a decision Lamido and his co-defendants challenged at the Court of Appeal, leading to their discharge.