Kumo was initially arraigned on December 3, 2025 on three -count charges of bribery by the Gombe Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.

However, on December 30, 2025 , the defendant, through his counsel, Adamu Bawa,  filed a preliminary objection  challenging  the  jurisdiction of the court to try him as he was “a judicial officer who ought  be taken to the Judicial  Service Commission ( JSC) for any wrong doing if such exists”,  a motion which was countered by the EFCC counsel, A. Aliyu, arguing  that the defendant   was a magistrate and not a judicial officer quoting Section 318(1) of the 1999 constitution  as amended .

The judge upheld the submission of the prosecution counsel in his ruling on February 17, 2026 on the matter of jurisdiction.

Count one of the count charges  read: “That you Muhammad Suleiman Kumo being a magistrate at Chief magistrate Court Pantami in such capacity on or about the 6th day of November 2024 in Gombe , Gombe State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did receive for yourself, monetary benefit of One Million Naira (N1,000,000) through Zenith bank account number 2273938871 belonging to one Adamu Ahmed , a registrar in your court , thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 10(a)(i)(ii) of the Corrupt practices and other Related Offences Act 2000”

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.

At the resumed sitting on May 5 ,2026  counsel to the defendant informed the court that the defendant would like to change his plea from ” not guilty to guilty” .

When the charges were re- read to the defendant , he pleaded guilty .

Following the guilty plea,  the prosecution counsel ,stated that the prosecution had spent time and resources in the prosecution of the case before the change of plea.

He urged the court to convict the defendant and order him in addition to the sentence to pay the sum of Five Hundred thousand Naira ( N500,000) as compensation to the  Commission.

Delivering judgment,  Justice Kereng noted  the severity of the offence, affirming that, “ I hereby convict you for the offence of corruption under Section 10 (a)(i)(ii) of the Corrupt practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 of the ICPC Act.  Also,  N500,000 is not excessive as compensation for investigation and prosecution “.

He also sentenced Kumo to two  years and six months  imprisonment with an option of  N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) as fine  and ordered him to pay the sum of N500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) as compensation to the Commission.

Kumo’s  journey to the Correctional Centre  began when the Ministry of Justice,  Gombe State alleged that one Abubakar Isa Jauro Kuna and Suleiman Haruna  complained about Kumo regarding bribery.  The convict was investigated,  charged to court and eventually convicted.

The post Gombe Court Jails Magistrate for Bribery appeared first on Business Today NG.

The event which took place  Tuesday July 8th, the agency was able to recover  82kg of already processed cannabis was from the location

The NDLEA operatives who went for the operation however came under gun attack from armed members of the cartel on their way out of the forest. They were able to repel the attack and came out unhurt while one of their operational vehicles was riddled with bullets.

In Lagos, 1,400 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 700kg and a Ford delivery truck marked JJJ 698 YJ were recovered at Okun -Ajah Beach, while two suspects: Innocent Ejidiobo and Friday Paul were nabbed along Ajah -Epe expressway by NDLEA operatives on Friday 11th July.

Recovered from them include: 26kg Ghana Loud, 123grams of methamphetamine and 45grams of Molly as well as their delivery van with registration number AJK 191 LG.

While NDLEA operatives in Borno state on Saturday 12th July arrested Godwin Chimaobi Nwaobi, 42, with 18,759 ampoules of pentazocine, pills of tramadol and rohypnol at Njimtilo, Maiduguri, coming on the heels of the seizure of 10,000 pills of tramadol from another suspect Abdulrahman Bello Ahmadu, 34, on Wednesday 9th July, their counterparts in Gombe state recovered a total of 116,226 pills of tramadol and D-5 from five suspects: Hafiz Bello, 22; Isah Suleman, 48; Kabiru Muhammed, 30; Abdullahi Adamu, 30; and Abel Murna, 25, at Gombe main market and along Gombe-Kano road on Tuesday 8th and Saturday 12th July.

A suspect, Sabiu Bala was on Thursday 10th July arrested along Okene-Lokoja expressway in Kogi state while conveying 316.600kg skunk, while another suspect Haladu Suleiman, 38, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives with 58.805kg of same substance in Gubuchi area of Ikara LGA, Kaduna state.

In Taraba state, three suspects: Auwal Ibrahim, 30; Lukman Ibrahim, 18; and Hamza Adamu, 25, were on Saturday 12th July arrested by NDLEA officers at Lanka Viri checkpoint while conveying 577,890 pills of opioids and 1.160kg skunk concealed in tyre compartment of a petrol tanker marked MUB 334 YH.

The arrest of the trio on Tuesday 8th July followed credible intelligence. Three other suspects: Shamsudini Abdullahi, 35; Adamu Abdullahi,21; and Magaji Rabo, 26, were nabbed with 48.1kg skunk at Janguza barracks area of Kano state by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 9th July.

The War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture delivered to students and staff of Word of Promise High School, Calabar, Cross River; Government Girls Arabic Senior Secondary School, Indabo Wudil, Kano; Community Secondary School, Umundu, Enugu; Okemagba Senior High School, Epe, Lagos; Bishop Gideon Otubelu Memorial College, Ukpo, Anambra; and traditional rulers in Bende area of Abia state, among others.

While commending the officers and men of MMIA, SOU, Edo, Lagos, Taraba, Kano, Kogi, Gombe, Borno and kaduna Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

The post NDLEA Destroys 28,000kg Skunk In Edo Forest; Recovers 722,875 Pills Of Opioids in Borno, Gombe, Taraba Raids appeared first on Business Today NG.

JED’s Managing Director, Abdu Bello-Mohammed said this during an inspection visit to the ongoing reconstruction of vandalised 330kV power line towers.

This is contained in a statement by Dr Friday Adakole-Elijah, Head, Corporate Communications, on Sunday in Bauchi.

Bello-Mohammed was represented by the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Alhaji Mamanlafia Umar.

He said the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) are working assiduously towards fixing the problems.

JED officials inspect repair work of 330KV Jos – Gombe power transmission line

The managing director said that normal power supply would soon be restored to Bauchi and Gombe States.

“I want to sincerely thank you on behalf of the MD/CEO of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc for the speed you have exhibited so far.

“I urged you to work towards meeting the deadline of 27th May 2024, for the completion of the repairs and restoration of normal supply to the good people of Bauchi and Gombe States, as committed to,” he said..

It will be recalled that about three weeks ago, four 330kV towers were vandalised, thereby putting the entire Gombe and parts of Bauchi State in darkness.

NAN

The post Jos DisCo Confirms Plans To Restore Power Supply To Bauchi, Gombe appeared first on Business Today NG.