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Alleged N110.4bn Fraud: Nigerian Govt Files Fresh Charges Against Yahaya Bello

The Federal Government has filed a fresh 16-count charge against the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

The fresh charge filed before a federal high court in Abuja yesterday, borders on alleged criminal breach of trust to the tune of N110, 446,470,089, contrary to sections 96 and 311 of Penal Code Law Cap.89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963 and punishable under Section 312 of the same law.

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However, the embattled immediate past governor of Kogi State has dragged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to the Supreme Court, for declaring him wanted.

This came as the anti-graft agency, intensified its pursuit of the former governor, insisting he will face full prosecution over an alleged N80.2 billion money laundering case.

The former governor, who is the sole defendant in a 19-count charge earlier preferred against him by the EFCC, is to face this fresh 16-count charge alongside two officials of the Kogi State government — Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha.

The defendants were alleged to have used funds from the Kogi state treasury to acquire properties in high-brow areas within the federal capital territory (FCT) and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to the charge sheet seen by TheCable.

Count one of the charge alleges that Bello, Oricha and Hudu, sometime in 2016 in Abuja, agreed among themselves “to cause to be done an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum of N110, 446, 470, 089.00 (One Hundred and Ten Billion, Four Hundred and Forty six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Eighty Nine Naira) entrusted to you”.

In count two, the defendants were said to have used the total sum of N950 million in 2023 “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja”.

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Count three accused the defendants of using N100 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 1160 Cadastral Zone CO3, Gwarimpa I District, Abuja” in 2021.

In court four, they were accused of using N920 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja” in 2020.

The defendants, in count five, allegedly used N170 million “for the acquisition of a property known as Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja” in 2022.

In count six, they allegedly used N100 million to purchase a property known as No: 1773 Guzape District, Abuja in 2018.

In count seven, they allegedly used another N100 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: A02/176 Block 488B, Lome Street, Wuse 1, Abuja” in 2020.

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Ochefu Owoicho

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Ochefu Owoicho

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