Former Jigawa Governor Sule Lamido's Fraud Trial Adjourned Again

Nigeria's Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the trial of former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, for a second time. The postponement follows the continued absence of lead defence counsel Joe Agi, who cited medical issues and later a trip to Germany. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting the trio on 37 counts of money‑laundering, kick‑backs and fictitious contract awards allegedly amounting to N1.35 billion during Lamido's tenure as governor from 2007‑2015. The court, presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, granted an adjournment to a date in September 2026, noting concerns over the lengthy delay of a case that has been pending since 2015.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution highlighted the need for a timely resolution given the magnitude of the alleged corruption. The repeated delays underscore challenges in the Nigerian judicial process for high‑profile corruption cases.