EFCC to Arraign Ex-Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello for Alleged Money Laundering
Yahaya Adoza Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, is set to be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on April 18, 2024.
The arraignment will take place at the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite. Alongside Bello, three other suspects, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (who remains at large), will face the court on a whopping 19-count indictment that involves laundering amounts totaling approximately N80.2 billion.
The charges highlight a series of alleged financial misconducts, including conspiracies to convert substantial public funds knowing they were the proceeds from criminal breaches of trust. For instance, one specific charge accuses the defendants of assisting a company, E-Traders International Limited, in concealing over N3 billion and also facilitating a transfer of approximately $570,330 to a U.S. bank account, funds alleged to have been acquired illicitly.
This upcoming legal battle follows a dramatic scene where an arrest warrant issued by the court was met with resistance. On April 17, 2024, the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, intervened as the EFCC attempted to arrest Bello, enabling him to evade immediate capture using official state resources.
Despite this, the EFCC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that Bello faces justice, emphasizing that no individual is above the law.