JUST IN: EFCC TO ARRAIGN YAHAYA BELLO AGAIN OVER ALLEGED N80.2BN FRAUD

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Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the immediate former governor of Kogi State, will be charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) this morning before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Bello will be charged with 19 counts, including suspected N80.2 billion fraud, before trial judge Emeka Nwite.

As you may remember, on April 17, Justice Nwite issued an arrest warrant for the former governor because he had repeatedly failed to show up for his arraignment.

The current governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, allegedly foiled EFCC agents’ attempt to carry out the arrest order at Bello’s Abuja home by escorting him away in his official vehicle.

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But after months of evasion, Bello turned himself in to the anti-graft agency last Tuesday, and on Wednesday he appeared before a Federal Capital Territory High Court.

After the defendant entered a not guilty plea, Justice Maryanne Anenih of the FCT high court remanded him to the EFCC’s custody.

In the meantime, the anti-graft agency convinced trial judge Nwite to shorten the original adjournment date of the current case at the Federal High Court, which was set for January 21, 2025.

Alongside the former governor, his nephew Ali Bello and two other people, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu, will be arraigned.

The defendants were accused of money laundering, breach of trust, and theft of public monies by the EFCC.