Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has been summoned to appear before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, facing allegations of criminal breach of trust and possession of unlawfully acquired property.
The summons was issued by Justice Maryann E. Anenih and pertains to alleged offenses committed between 2016 and 2023.
The court documents, made public by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, indicate that Bello is accused of violating Section 311 of the Penal Code Law, which addresses criminal breach of trust and is punishable under Section 312. Additionally, he faces charges under Section 319A for allegedly possessing property suspected to have been obtained unlawfully.
The summons details a complaint on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, stating: “A complaint has been made 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 required to appear in High Court No. 3, Maitama, on November 14, 2024, at 9 a.m.
The EFCC had previously declared Bello wanted and has filed new charges against him, alleging fraud amounting to N110 billion.
The commission had earlier lodged 19 charges against Bello, his nephew Ali Bello, and others, involving money laundering offenses totaling over N80 billion. However, in updated charges filed on September 25, the amount in question rose to approximately N110 billion.
Bello recently visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja with the current Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, but was not interrogated.
The EFCC later described his visit as a “strategic game plan,” suggesting it was more for show than a genuine effort to comply with legal proceedings. EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, commented that the visit appeared to be a stunt rather than a sincere adherence to the rule of law.
Efforts by the EFCC to arrest Bello in September were unsuccessful, adding to the ongoing tension surrounding the former governor and the allegations against him.
