- Yahaya Bello, former Governor of Kogi State, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged embezzlement of N80.2 billion in state funds
- Bello voluntarily drove to the EFCC office with his lawyers after a Supreme Court ruling affirmed the anti-graft agency's legal authority
- The arrest followed ongoing legal battles and a recent court hearing where an adjournment was granted until November 27
Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with alleged embezzlement of state funds.
Sources revealed that the EFCC arrested Bello on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, and this was later confirmed by the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.
EFCC arrests Yahaya Bello
Bello reportedly drove himself in a black Hilux to the EFCC office on Tuesday morning, bringing along his lawyers, after the Supreme Court ruling that dismissed the states' challenge to the anti-graft agency's constitutionality.
Bello, who had repeatedly avoided arrest by the EFCC, was charged with money laundering, breach of trust, and the misappropriation of N80.2 billion.
The former governor was charged with a new 16-count charge, alongside two Kogi State government officials, Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha.
The charges, presented at a federal high court in Abuja alleged a criminal breach of trust involving N110,446,470,089, in violation of Sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, with penalties as outlined in Section 312.
The charge sheet revealed that the defendants had used funds from the Kogi State treasury to acquire properties in upscale areas of the federal capital territory (FCT) and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Recall that during the last hearing on November 14 before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Maitama in Abuja, the EFCC requested an adjournment until November 27 in the new charges filed against former Governor Bello, citing that the 30-day period for the previously issued summons was still active.
However, the EFCC granted administrative bail to Bello's co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and requested an extension of time from the court for the first defendant to appear.
Court orders public notice of summons for Yahaya Bello at widely circulated newspaper, others
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Court summoned Yahaya Bello over new fraud charges worth N110.4bn.
Public summons authorised by Justice Maryanne Anenih to be published in widely-read newspapers, and others.