Alleged N80.2Bn Fraud: Yahaya Bello and three others will be arraigned in court (EFCC).

Alleged N80.2Bn Fraud: Yahaya Bello and three others will be arraigned in court (EFCC).

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it will on Thursday, April 18, 2024, arraign a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to the anti-corruption agency, Bello will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three other suspects: Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu.

It, however, lamented that Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State breached the security cordon and took the suspect away in his official vehicle on Wednesday after the agency had laid siege to the Abuja residence of the former governor.

A statement by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the accused persons will be arraigned on 19 counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80, 246,470, 088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight-Nine Naira, and eighty-Eight Kobo).

Gunshots Fired As Kogi Gov Ododo, With Help Of Police Escorts, Smuggled Yahaya Bello Out Of Abuja Residence Surrounded By Agents Of Anti-Corruption Agency, EFCC

Gunshots Fired As Kogi Gov Ododo, With Help Of Police Escorts, Smuggled Yahaya Bello Out Of Abuja Residence Surrounded By Agents Of Anti-Corruption Agency, EFCC
Bello’s arraignment comes on the heels of a warrant of arrest and enrolment order granted to the EFCC by the court on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

Count one of the charges reads: That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (Still at large), sometime, in February 2016, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80, 246,470, 088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.”

Count 17 of the charges read: “That you Yahaya Bello between 26th July 2021 to 6th April 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court aided E-Traders International Limited to conceal the aggregate sum of N3,081,804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty-One Million Eight Hundred and Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty-Four Naira) in account number 1451458080 domiciled in Access Bank Plc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

Count 18 of the charges reads: “That you Yahaya Adoza Bello sometime in November 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court indirectly procured E-Traders International Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330.00 (Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty Dollars) to account number 4266644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15( 3) of the same Act.”

The statement said, “The Commission’s attempt to execute the Warrant of Arrest lawfully obtained against Bello met stiff resistance on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

“The security cordon around the former governor’s residence in Abuja was breached by the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo who ensured that the suspect was spirited away in his official vehicle.

“As a responsible law enforcement agency, the EFCC exercised restraint in the face of the provocation, waiting for his arraignment on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

“It is needful to state that Bello is not above the law and would be brought to justice as soon as possible.”