Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, has been summoned to appear before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, facing allegations of criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully acquired property. The summons was issued by Justice Maryann E. Anenih and is tied to offences allegedly committed between 2016 and 2023.
Bello is being charged under Section 311 of the Penal Code Law, which pertains to criminal breach of trust, and under Section 319A, for allegedly possessing property obtained through unlawful means. He is expected to appear before the court on November 14, 2024. This summons comes in the wake of fresh allegations from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had previously declared Bello wanted for alleged fraud amounting to over N110 billion.
The EFCC had earlier filed 19 charges against Bello and several associates, but new charges filed on September 25, 2024, raised the total sum involved in the alleged money laundering to N110.4 billion. Despite a recent visit to the EFCC headquarters with the current Kogi State governor, Usman Ododo, the EFCC asserted that Bello’s actions were part of a “strategic game plan” and that his visit was not in earnest compliance with the rule of law.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the allegations, and the EFCC’s pursuit of the former governor highlights the ongoing battle against corruption in Nigeria.
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