Court Orders Arrest of 2 Officials Over N46b Withdrawal

A court has ordered the arrest of two officials involved in the withdrawal of N46b from Kogi government accounts. Discover the latest details on this case.

Abdulsalamu Hudu and Umar Shuaibu Oricha, both high-ranking officials of the Kogi State government, are being sought after by the Federal High Court in Abuja for their supposed role in removing N46.039 billion from state bank accounts.

On Tuesday, an order was granted by Justice Emeka Nwite in response to a motion ex parte that had been filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The development is related to the current inquiry into purported fraud committed by ex-Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello and his accomplices.

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Hudu and Oricha have been accused by the EFCC of withdrawing N46 billion in cash from the state government’s account with Zenith Bank Plc. These withdrawals were made between February 2016 to September 2021 and allegedly used for buying or renovating properties domestically and internationally, as per allegations put forth by the commission.

According to the EFCC, C. Olufunke, Murtala Maigari, and Dauda Sulaiman were implicated in the scam alongside others who are currently on trial for money laundering charges.

An arrest warrant has been granted to the EFCC as per Justice Nwite’s ruling.

The Honorable Court ordered the issuance of a warrant for the arrest of Abdussalamu Hudu and Umar Shuaibu Oricha, so they can be brought before it to face criminal complaints/allegations against them. They will then be dealt with according to applicable laws.

It should be remembered that the EFCC and other security organizations have announced a search for ex-Governor Bello, claiming their incapability to locate or apprehend him. The Kogi State Government has been accused by the commission of exploiting its “immunity” status to protect Bello.