A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama on Tuesday ordered the remand of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in Kuje Prison pending his trial on allegations of ₦110 billion fraud.
Justice Maryann Anenih issued the remand order after adjourning the trial till February 25, 2025.
Bello, who governed Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, is facing a 16-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He is accused alongside two former state officials, Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, who are listed as co-defendants in the case.
The court also dismissed an application filed by Bello’s legal team, led by former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Joseph Daudu, SAN, seeking bail for the ex-governor.
Justice Anenih ruled that the bail application was prematurely filed on November 22, three days before Bello voluntarily surrendered to the EFCC on November 25.
“A bail application is filed to challenge the detention of a defendant. Filing it before being in custody undermines the application’s validity,” the judge remarked.
She further noted, “Consequently, the instant application, having been filed prematurely, is hereby refused.”
However, the court admitted the second and third defendants to bail in the sum of ₦300 million each, with two sureties in like sum. The court also seized their travel documents as part of the bail conditions.
The EFCC, represented by lead counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, argued against granting Bello bail, stating that the former governor had repeatedly evaded trial.
“Several efforts to secure the presence of the 1st defendant in court for another charge pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja, proved abortive,” the EFCC said.
The agency described Bello’s bail application as an attempt to manipulate the legal process, noting that it was filed days before his formal arraignment.
The EFCC accused Bello and his co-defendants of conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property.
Bello, through his legal team, maintained his innocence, arguing that he is entitled to the presumption of innocence under the law.
“Our client is innocent of all allegations and requires bail to effectively prepare his defence,” Daudu said. He dismissed claims by the EFCC that Bello had evaded trial, asserting that his client voluntarily surrendered to the anti-graft agency.
The high-profile case has drawn widespread attention, with many Nigerians expressing mixed reactions. While some lauded the EFCC’s commitment to holding public officials accountable, others questioned the protracted nature of high-profile corruption trials.
The case, marked CR/7781, underscores Nigeria’s ongoing battle against corruption and the judicial system’s role in ensuring accountability among public officials.
EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).
Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million); Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams); Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million); and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
Likewise, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.