The trial of former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha Lamido, over an alleged N1.35 billion fraud was on Monday adjourned after the lead defence counsel, Joe Agi (SAN), failed to appear in court due to health reasons.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the trio before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on a 37-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering, kickbacks and fictitious contract awards amounting to N1.35 billion.
According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offences were committed while Lamido served as governor of Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015.
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At the resumed hearing, EFCC counsel Chile Okoroma (SAN) informed the court that Agi had written to explain his absence, stating that he was undergoing surgery and requested an adjournment.
While wishing the defence lawyer a speedy recovery, Okoroma argued that another member of the defence team should have appeared in court to allow the trial to proceed, noting that the case has remained pending since 2015.
The prosecution also drew the court’s attention to the fact that Justice Ojukwu travelled from her judicial division in Calabar, Cross River State, to Abuja specifically to hear the matter. Okoroma therefore urged the court to grant only a one-day adjournment.
Justice Ojukwu agreed with the prosecution’s request and adjourned the case until Tuesday, July 21, 2026, for the continuation of trial.
