Supreme Court Voids Lamido Acquittal, Orders Resumption of N1.35bn Fraud Trial

Supreme Court Voids Lamido Acquittal, Orders Resumption of N1.35bn Fraud Trial

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has set aside the acquittal of former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and his two sons, directing that the ₦1.35 billion alleged fraud case be returned to the Federal High Court in Abuja for continuation. The apex court ruled that the Court of Appeal erred in prematurely ending the prosecution despite sufficient evidence presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Lamido, who governed Jigawa State from 2007 to 2015, along with his sons Mustapha and Aminu, had faced charges of money laundering, abuse of office, and corruption, linked to alleged kickbacks from state contracts during his administration. The case, originally filed in 2015, was previously discharged by the Court of Appeal in July 2023.

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The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision underscores the judiciary’s commitment to anti-corruption enforcement and the prosecution of public officials accused of financial crimes. With the ruling, the Federal High Court will now resume proceedings, and Lamido and his sons are expected to enter their defence.

In a related ruling, the apex court also upheld the conviction of Aminu Sule Lamido for failing to declare $40,000 at the airport, reinforcing the judiciary’s zero-tolerance approach to undeclared assets and money laundering.

The decision is widely seen as a major win for Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts, signalling continued judicial support for the EFCC in pursuing high-profile cases involving senior politicians and public officials.

Supreme Court Voids Lamido Acquittal, Orders Resumption of N1.35bn Fraud Trial