The Supreme Court has ordered the resumption of the ₦1.35 billion corruption trial involving former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido and his two sons, Mustapha and Aminu, overturning an earlier ruling that had cleared them of all charges.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel led by Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar, the apex court nullified the July 2023 decision of the Court of Appeal, which had discharged and acquitted the defendants.

The Supreme Court ruled that the appeal filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had merit and directed that the case be returned to the Federal High Court, where Lamido and his sons are to open their defence.

Lamido, who governed Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015, is accused by the EFCC of laundering ₦1.35 billion allegedly received as kickbacks from contractors handling state government projects.

After the EFCC closed its case at the trial court, the defendants filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against them. However, the Federal High Court dismissed the application, ruling that sufficient evidence had been presented to require the defendants to defend themselves.

The Court of Appeal later overturned that decision in July 2023, effectively quashing the charges. The EFCC challenged the ruling at the Supreme Court, arguing that the appellate court erred by dismissing the case despite substantial evidence linking the defendants to the alleged offences.

Upholding the EFCC’s arguments, the Supreme Court ordered that the corruption charges be reinstated and that the defendants return to the Federal High Court for continuation of the trial.