Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has been summoned to appear before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja over allegations of breach of trust and possession of unlawfully acquired property.
Justice Maryann E. Anenih issued the summons, which alleges that Bello committed these offences between 2016 and 2023.
The summons, dated October 3, 2024, was revealed in a post on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Court documents outline that Bello is being accused of violating Section 311 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963, which addresses criminal breach of trust and is punishable under Section 312.
He is also facing charges under Section 319A, related to allegedly possessing property suspected to have been acquired through illegal means.
The summons partly reads: “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 required to appear before “High Court No. 3, Maitama, on November 14, 2024, at 9.am.”
The EFCC had earlier declared Bello wanted and recently filed new charges against him, accusing the former governor of N110 billion in fraud.
Previously, Bello faced 19 charges alongside his nephew, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, related to money laundering offences totaling N80,246,470,088.88. In a fresh set of 16 charges dated September 25, 2024, the amount involved in the offences increased to N110,446,470,89.00.
Last month, Bello made a visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, accompanied by the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, though he was not questioned during the visit. The EFCC later described the visit as part of a “strategic game plan.”
“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, remarked in an interview with Arise TV’s The Morning Show.
Earlier in September, there was an attempt by the EFCC to arrest Bello, though it was unsuccessful.
(Platinum Post)
