Alleged N80.2bn Fraud: EFCC to Arraign Yahaya Bello Today

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

Earlier, the EFCC was granted a warrant of arrest by a Federal High Court in Abuja to apprehend the embattled former governor.

The warrant was issued following an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC.

Bello will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three other suspects, Ali Bello, Dauda 6 Abdulsalam Hudu on 19 counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,088.88.

The spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, revealed the development in a press statement on Wednesday.

Oyewale said, “Bello’s arraignment is coming on the heels of a warrant of arrest and enrollment order granted 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 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 in account number 1451458080 domiciled in Access BankPlc, 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 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 EFCC further noted that the commission’s attempt to execute a warrant of arrest lawfully obtained against Bello met stiff resistance on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

Oyewale added, “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 necessary to state that Bello is not above the law and would be brought to justice as soon as possible.”