The Supreme Court will on Friday, January 16, 2026, deliver its decision in the long-running N1.35 billion fraud case involving former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, and his sons, Mustapha and Aminu.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced the development on Thursday via a social media post, stating that the apex court has fixed the date to hear its appeal against a Court of Appeal judgment that cleared the Lamidos of all charges.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on July 25, 2023, discharged Lamido and his co-defendants.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the anti-graft agency approached the Supreme Court on July 31, 2023, urging it to overturn the judgment and remit the case to the trial court for continuation.
According to the EFCC, the appeal court erred by freeing the defendants despite what it described as “sufficient evidence establishing a prima facie case” against them.
Lamido, his sons, and other defendants were earlier arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 37-count amended charge. The charges include money laundering and abuse of office.
The EFCC accused Lamido, who served as Jigawa governor from 2007 to 2015, of laundering N1.35bn.
The agency alleged that the funds were received as kickbacks from contractors handling state government projects.
The trial commenced in 2015, with the EFCC calling more than 16 witnesses before closing its case. Rather than open their defence, the defendants filed a no-case submission, contending that the prosecution had failed to establish any offence.
Justice Ojukwu dismissed the no-case submission and held that the defendants had a case to answer. That decision was subsequently challenged at the Court of Appeal, leading to their discharge.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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