Court Sets April 1 for Lamido's ₦1.3 Billion Fraud Case

The Federal High Court in Abuja has set April 1 for the fresh arraignment of former Jigawa State Governor Lamido, alongside his two sons, Aminu Lamido and Mustapha Lamido, on allegations of ₦1.3 billion fraud. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 27 counts of money laundering against them, claiming the offenses occurred between 2007 and 2015 during Lamido's governorship.

The court, presided over by Justice Peter Odo Lifu, scheduled the date following the absence of the defendants, which their counsel, Joe Agi SAN, attributed to late notification of the trial. The EFCC's counsel, Chile Okoroma SAN, expressed surprise at the defendants' failure to appear despite receiving a hearing notice.

The case has seen various legal proceedings, including a dismissal of a no-case submission by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in November 2022 and an appeal that was upheld in July 2023. The Supreme Court is set to hear the EFCC's appeal against the Court of Appeal's ruling on January 16, 2026.