Kicks As FG Files Fresh 16-Count Charge Against Yahaya Bello

The Federal Government has filed a fresh 16-count charge against Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, accusing him of criminal breach of trust involving the misappropriation of N110,446,470,089 from the state’s coffers.

The fresh charges, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, come in addition to an earlier 19-count charge against Yahaya Bello related to alleged financial misconduct.

According to the new charge sheet, Bello, alongside two officials from the Kogi State government — Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha — is accused of siphoning state funds to acquire high-end properties in Abuja and Dubai. These acquisitions allegedly took place between 2016 and 2023.

In count one, Bello, Oricha, and Hudu are accused of conspiring in 2016 to carry out a criminal breach of trust concerning the sum of N110.4 billion, funds entrusted to their care in their official capacities.

Other counts allege that the defendants used various sums of money, ranging from N60 million to over N950 million, to purchase multiple properties across prominent districts of Abuja, including Maitama, Asokoro, Gwarimpa, and Wuse, between 2018 and 2023.

For example, in count two, the defendants allegedly used N950 million to acquire a property at 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, in 2023. In count four, they are accused of spending N920 million in 2020 to purchase a property at No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street in Asokoro, Abuja.

The charges also extend to properties outside Nigeria, as detailed in count 11, which alleges that the defendants used 5.6 million dirhams in 2022 to acquire a property at Sky View Building in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Other counts detail further suspicious financial transactions, including the transfer of large sums of money to foreign bank accounts. For example, count 14 alleges that in 2021, $570,330 was transferred to an account domiciled in TD Bank, USA. Similarly, count 15 accuses the defendants of sending an additional $556,265 to the same bank that year.

In count 16, Bello is personally accused of unlawfully controlling N677.8 million between 2017 and 2018, allegedly obtained from Bespoque Business Solutions Limited.

Background and Previous Charges

This fresh 16-count charge comes in the wake of an ongoing legal battle between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Yahaya Bello. The EFCC had earlier declared Bello wanted on April 18, 2024, accusing him of laundering N80.2 billion, misappropriating funds, and breaching public trust. The commission also claimed that the ex-governor withdrew $720,000 from the Kogi State treasury to pay his child’s school fees in advance.

Despite several failed attempts to arrest Bello, the EFCC filed a 19-count charge against him in connection with money laundering allegations. However, his arraignment has faced multiple delays, often due to his absence from court. In August 2024, the Abuja Court of Appeal ordered Bello to surrender himself for arraignment.

Although his media office claimed that the former governor visited the EFCC office on September 18, the anti-graft agency denied that he was ever in their custody, insisting that he remains a wanted man.

Bello’s media team further alleged that EFCC operatives laid siege to the Kogi government lodge in Abuja in a bid to arrest him, though this attempt also proved unsuccessful.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the fresh 16-count charge raises the stakes for the former governor, who has repeatedly maintained his innocence.

Observers will be watching closely to see whether the latest charges lead to any meaningful developments in Bello’s long-standing battle with the EFCC, which is under increased pressure to secure high-profile convictions in its fight against corruption.

This ongoing saga continues to cast a spotlight on the broader issue of corruption within Nigeria’s political system, with many calling for swift and transparent justice.
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