Yahaya Bello, the former Governor of Kogi State, On Wednesday, appeared before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, where he pleaded not guilty to a 16-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charges, presented before Justice Maryann Anenih, include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully acquired properties. Bello was arraigned alongside two co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The EFCC accused Bello and his co-defendants of diverting funds totaling ₦110 billion from Kogi State’s treasury for personal gain. Among the properties allegedly purchased with the misappropriated funds are high-value real estate in Abuja, including:
- No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District (₦950 million)
- No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District (₦100 million)
- No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro (₦920 million)
- Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4 (₦170 million)
The EFCC also claimed that the funds were used to purchase luxury assets, such as a hotel apartment in Dubai valued at over 5.6 million Dirhams and to transfer substantial sums to TD Bank in the United States, including $570,330 and $556,265.
Bello, dressed in a white caftan and blue cap, appeared calm as he entered the courtroom at approximately 9:45 a.m. This appearance followed weeks of speculation about his whereabouts, with reports suggesting he evaded the EFCC until voluntarily turning himself in on Tuesday.
