Yahaya Bello in Fresh Trouble as EFCC Files ₦110bn Fraud, Property Scandal Charges

The former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello, is facing new legal challenges as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a fresh 16-count charge against him. The charges, which also implicate Umar Shuaibu Oicha and Abdulsalam Hudu, were filed on September 24, 2024, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja.

The allegations, part of Case No. CR/7781, include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and the illegal acquisition of properties using public funds. Key accusations revolve around the misappropriation of ₦110.4 billion in state funds during Bello’s tenure as governor. Some of the properties allegedly acquired with these funds include:

• No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, valued at ₦950 million.
• No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja, valued at ₦100 million.
• No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja, worth ₦920 million.

The EFCC further claims that Bello and his co-defendants acquired additional properties using public funds, including:

• Block D, Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (₦170 million).
• A luxury hotel apartment in Burj Khalifa, Dubai, purchased for AED 5.7 million (approximately ₦1.2 billion).
• Other properties in Wuse and Asokoro, Abuja, as well as substantial renovations at various locations totaling millions of naira.

Additionally, Bello is accused of illegally transferring significant sums abroad. Among the foreign transactions mentioned are $570,330 and $556,265 sent to TD Bank accounts in the United States.

The EFCC also alleges that Bello was in possession of ₦677.8 million unlawfully obtained from BESPOQUE Business Solution Limited.

The prosecuting team, led by senior advocates Dr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) and Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa (SAN), also includes notable lawyers such as Hannatu Umar Kofarnaisa, Zeenat Atiku Bala, and Bilkisu Buhari Bala. The charges highlight the alleged misuse of public funds between 2016 and 2023, implicating the former governor and his associates in multiple fraudulent transactions.

As the case progresses, the eyes of the nation remain on this high-profile trial, which underscores the EFCC’s commitment to addressing corruption at all levels of government.