Yahaya Bello Remanded in Kuje Prison Over Alleged N110 Billion Fraud

A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama on Tuesday remanded former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in Kuje prison. Justice Maryann Anenih issued the remand order after adjourning the trial to February 25, 2025. The court also dismissed Bello’s application for bail, which was filed pending the resolution of the case against him.

Bello, who governed Kogi from 2016 to 2024, is facing a 16-count charge related to his alleged involvement in a N110 billion fraud. He is accused alongside two Kogi state officials, Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, who are also defendants in the case.

Bello has been in detention since November 25. The court ruled on Monday that his bail application, filed prematurely on November 22, was incompetent, as it was made before he officially surrendered to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The court granted bail to the second and third defendants in the sum of N300 million each, with two sureties in the like sum. However, their travel documents were seized as part of the bail conditions.

The EFCC had opposed Bello’s bail application, stating that he had repeatedly avoided trial. The agency also contested the timing of the bail request, emphasizing that it was filed before the arraignment took place.

The charges against the defendants include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property. The EFCC accuses Bello of using state funds to acquire properties, including several high-value assets in Abuja and abroad.