Yahaya Bello in Fresh Trouble as Court Summons Him Over N110bn Fraud

Yahaya Bello Faces Justice as Court Summons Him Over N110bn Fraud Allegations

Bello is accused of unlawfully retaining N677.8 million, which he allegedly obtained from Bespoke Business...

Yahaya Bello, ex-Kogi Governor, faces fresh charges: N110bn fraud, money laundering & illegal property acquisitions.

A High Court in Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory has issued a public summons against Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, to answer to fresh charges related to a N110.4 billion fraud case. The case, filed on September 24, 2024, accuses Bello and two others, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, of misappropriating public funds to purchase properties in Abuja and Dubai. Specifically, they're charged with criminal breach of trust, an offense under Section 312 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed the application seeking Bello's arraignment alongside two others: Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu. The charges against them include criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds amounting to N110,446,470,089.

Key Facts:

Summon Date: October 24, 2024

Charges: 16-count charge involving alleged fraud

Amount Involved: N110 billion

Co-defendants: Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu

Court: High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja

This development is the latest in the EFCC's efforts to tackle corruption and ensure accountability in Nigeria's public sector.

During Thursday's proceedings, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) informed the court that they'd been unable to serve the fresh charges on Bello, prompting a request for a public summons. The court granted the request, directing the EFCC to publish the summons in a widely circulated newspaper and post copies at Bello's last known address and in prominent locations within the court premises.

Bello is now required to appear in court on October 24 for his arraignment alongside the two other defendants. The EFCC's action follows previous attempts to prosecute Bello, including an application to amend charges in February 2024. This development highlights the ongoing efforts to hold public officials accountable for alleged financial mismanagement and corruption in Nigeria.

Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, is facing serious allegations. Here are the details:

Count One: Bello, along with Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, is accused of conspiring in 2016 to commit a criminal breach of trust involving N110.4 billion entrusted to them. The charge reads: “That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu sometime in 2016 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court agreed amongst yourselves to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum of N110,446,470,089.”

Count Two: The defendants are accused of misappropriating N950 million from the state treasury in 2023 to purchase a property at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja.

Count Eleven: Bello and his co-defendants allegedly used over five million dirhams to buy a property in Khalifa, Municipality, Dubai.

Additionally, in Count 14, Bello, Oricha, and Hudu are accused of sending $570,330 from the state treasury to acquire another property in 2021. These allegations are part of a 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Count 14 Allegations: Bello, along with Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, is accused of dishonestly sending $570,330 in 2021 from the state treasury to account number 4266644272 at TD Bank in the United States [User Question]. This transaction allegedly occurred while they had control over the state's finances in Abuja.

Count 15 Allegations: Additionally, in 2021, Bello and his co-defendants allegedly unlawfully transferred $556,265 from the state treasury to the same account number 4266644272 at TD Bank in the United States. These transactions are part of a larger 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which includes other allegations of misappropriation of public funds.

Other allegations against Bello include using over five million Dirhams to purchase a property in Khalifa, Municipality, Dubai, and misappropriating N950 million from the state treasury in 2023 to acquire a property located at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja.

Bello is accused of unlawfully retaining N677.8 million, which he allegedly obtained from Bespoke Business Solution Limited between 2017 and 2018 in Abuja.

Over the past five months, the EFCC has made multiple attempts to arraign Bello in a Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of money laundering involving over N80 billion, but unfortunately, they haven't been successful yet. This isn't the first time Bello has faced allegations of financial misconduct. The EFCC has been pursuing his case, claiming that funds were misappropriated under his watch during his tenure as governor.

Previous Attempts to Arraign Bello

In May, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that Bello must physically appear in court to face the charges against him.

Last month, the Court of Appeal upheld this decision, reinforcing the order for Bello to be present for the legal proceedings.

The EFCC's efforts to bring Bello to court have been ongoing, with the commission filing an application to amend charges against him in February 2024. With the new summons issued by Justice Maryanne Anenih, all eyes are on whether Bello will comply and face the allegations in court on October 24, 2024.