Rita Odafe
Yahaya Bello
The High Court in Abuja has summoned former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, due to claims involving criminal breach of trust and the illegal possession of property.
Issued by Justice Maryann E. Anenih, the summons states that these actions allegedly took place from 2016 to 2023.
On October 3, 2024, the notice was publicly shared via a post from the Economic Financial Crimes Commission’s X account.
Legal documents reveal that Bello is charged under Section 311 of the Penal Code, which addresses breach of trust and carries penalties under Section 312.
Additionally, he faces charges under Section 319A for allegedly having property believed to have been obtained illicitly.
The public summons specified:
“A complaint has been made on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, sometimes within the year 2016 up until 2023… did commit offences to wit: criminal breach of trust… and having possession or control of property reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.”
Bello is ordered to appear in “High Court No. 3, Maitama, on November 14, 2024, at 9 a.m.”
Previously, the EFCC had labeled the former governor as wanted.
Recently, they filed new charges against him, alleging fraud amounting to N110 billion.
Initially, the EFCC submitted 19 charges against Bello alongside his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, for money laundering linked to N80,246,470,088.88.
In the updated 16 charges from September 25, reviewed by our correspondent, the total for the same money laundering allegations escalated to N110,446,470,89.00.
Last month, he visited the EFCC office in Abuja with Kogi State’s current governor, Usman Ododo, but did not undergo interrogation.
The EFCC later described this visit as a calculated maneuver.
“That is enough to convince Nigerians that his presence at the EFCC on the 18th of September was more of a stunt, not really that he wanted to abide by the rule of law,” remarked EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, during an interview on Arise TV The Morning Show.
In September, there was also an unsuccessful attempt by the EFCC to arrest him.
