Governor Yahaya Bello faces fresh legal challenges as a court summons him regarding allegations of breach of trust and other related charges, escalating scrutiny over his administration.
Yahaya Bello, the former Governor of Kogi State, has been ordered to appear before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja. He faces charges related to criminal breach of trust and possessing property acquired unlawfully.
The summons, issued by Justice Maryann E. Anenih, alleges that Bello committed these offenses between 2016 and 2023.
The summons, issued on October 3, 2024, was disclosed in a post by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) via their X account on Friday.
Court documents indicate that Bello faces charges of violating Section 311 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria from 1963, which pertains to criminal breach of trust and is punishable under Section 312.
He also faces charges under Section 319A for allegedly possessing property believed to have been acquired through illegal means.
The summons includes the following statement: “On behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a complaint has been filed against you, Yahaya Adoza Bello. It alleges that from 2016 to 2023, you engaged in offenses including criminal breach of trust and possession or control of property suspected to have been unlawfully acquired.”
READ ALSO: Alleged N110.4bn Fraud: Court Issues Public Summons Against Yahaya Bello
Bello must appear at High Court No. 3 in Maitama on November 14, 2024, at 9 a.m.
The EFCC had previously declared Bello wanted and has recently filed new charges against him, accusing the former governor of being involved in a N110 billion fraud.
Bello, along with his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, initially faced 19 charges connected to money laundering offenses amounting to N80,246,470.88. However, in a new set of 16 charges filed on September 25th ,2024 the sum involved in these offences rose to N11044647o89 .00
Last month, Bello visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja with Usman Ododo, the current Governor of Kogi State. Although he was not questioned during this visit, the EFCC later referred to it as part of a “strategic game plan.”
EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, stated in an interview on Arise TV’s The Morning Show that this is sufficient to persuade Nigerians that his appearance at the EFCC on September 18th was more about making a statement than genuinely intending to follow the rule of law.
Earlier in September, the EFCC attempted to arrest Bello, but the effort was unsuccessful.
