Justice Maryanne Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja has summoned former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to appear before the court on October 24, 2024, on a fresh 16-count charge of fraud.
The charges, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), allege that Bello and two others misappropriated over ₦110 billion of public funds during his tenure.
The EFCC’s accusations focus on the diversion of state funds to acquire properties in Nigeria and Dubai. Bello, along with co-defendants Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, is accused of illegally transferring millions from the state treasury between 2016 and 2023 to purchase high-end real estate, including a property in Maitama, Abuja, and another in Dubai’s Khalifa Municipality.
The court has fixed November 4, 5, and 13 for the commencement of the trial.
At a hearing on Thursday, the EFCC, represented by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), informed the court that they had faced difficulties serving the former governor and requested a public summons. Justice Anenih granted the application, ordering that the public summons be published in widely circulated newspapers and pasted at Bello’s last known address.
Among the charges is the allegation that the former governor and his co-defendants funnelled over $570,000 and $556,000 to a TD Bank account in the United States. The EFCC also claims that Bello illegally obtained ₦677 million from BESPOQUE BUSINESS SOLUTION LIMITED between 2017 and 2018.
This latest case adds to the EFCC’s previous attempts to prosecute Bello on similar charges, including an unresolved money laundering case involving over ₦80 billion. Despite the serious allegations, Bello has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and the upcoming trial will provide a critical platform for both sides to present their cases.
