Court issues new summons to former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has issued a new summons to former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

According to reports, the former governor has been ordered to appear before the court on November 14, 2024, over allegations of criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully acquired property.

The summons, issued by Justice Maryann E. Anenih, accuses Bello of committing these offences between 2016 and 2023.

The order, dated October 3, 2024, was revealed in a post shared on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s X handle on Friday.

Court documents indicate that Bello is accused of breaching Section 311 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963, which pertains to criminal breach of trust and carries penalties under Section 312.

Additionally, he faces charges under Section 319A for allegedly possessing property believed to have been acquired through illegal means. The public summons included the following excerpt:

“A complaint has been made on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, sometimes within the year 2016 up until 2023… did commit offences to wit: criminal breach of trust… and having possession or control of property reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.”

“Bello is expected to appear before “High Court No. 3, Maitama, on November 14, 2024, at 9.am,” the anti-graft agency noted via its page.

Gistreel had earlier reported that the EFCC had previously announced that the ex-governor was wanted.

Lately, the commission has brought new allegations against the ex-governor, claiming he is responsible for a fraud of N110 billion.

At first, the EFCC had lodged 19 charges against Bello, his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu for engaging in money laundering activities, which were valued at N80,246,470,088.88.

However, in the new set of charges filed on September 25, the total amount of the money laundering activities increased to N110,446,470,89.00.

Some weeks ago, Yahaya Bello made a visit to the anti-corruption agency’s main office in Abuja with his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, but he was not questioned during the visit.

The EFCC has mentioned his visit as part of a strategic move.

“That is enough to convince Nigerians that his presence at the EFCC on the 18th of September was more of a stunt, not really that he wanted to abide by the rule of law,” EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, made this assertion during an interview on Arise TV The Morning Show.

Also, in September, the EFCC moved to arrest him, which was futile.