Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello Indicted for Misappropriation of Public Funds

According to information released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Yahaya Adoza Bello, the recently removed governor of Kogi State, is accused of using public funds to purchase luxury homes in Abuja, Nigeria, and Dubai.

The EFCC's 16-count indictment against Bello alleges that he spent over five million dirhams on a property in the Khalifa municipality of Dubai.

In count two, the indictment claims that Bello, along with Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, embezzled N950 million to acquire a property at 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja, in 2023, while in control of the state's treasury.

The EFCC filed these new charges against Bello and two others before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, accusing them of misappropriating more than N110 billion in public funds to purchase various properties in Abuja and Dubai.

The anti-graft agency’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, submitted the charges on September 25, following criminal breach of trust allegations. These acts are punishable under Section 312 of the Penal Code Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.

Count one alleges that Bello, Oricha, and Hudu conspired to commit criminal breach of trust regarding the N110,446,470,089 entrusted to them in 2016.

Count two accuses them of dishonestly using N950 million for the Maitama property purchase in 2023.

Count eleven indicates that the defendants purchased a Dubai property using over five million dirhams.

Count fourteen alleges that Bello and the others transferred $570,330 to a TD Bank account in the United States while in control of the state treasury.

Count fifteen states that another $556,265 was transferred to the same TD Bank account in 2021.

In count sixteen, Bello is accused of misappropriating N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited between 2017 and 2018.

Despite the seriousness of the charges, Bello's arraignment on the new accusations has not yet been scheduled. The EFCC has made four unsuccessful attempts in the past five months to bring Bello before the Federal High Court in Abuja regarding N80.2 billion fraud allegations.