Court Grants Yahaya Bello N500m Bail Amid “N110.4bn Fraud” Case

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the immediate past Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, bail in the sum of N500 million and three sureties.

The trial judge, Justice MaryAnne Anenih, made the pronouncement after hearing the fresh bail application brought before the court following the court’s refusal to grant Bello bail at the previous sitting.

Bello, alongside two others, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are facing trial on 16 counts brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, concerning criminal breach of trust and money laundering amounting to N110.4 billion.

However, the court granted bail to the second and third defendants in the sum of N300 million with two sureties, along with other conditions.

Outlining the conditions for Bello’s bail, the judge stated that the sureties must be responsible citizens who are landowners in any of the listed areas in Abuja – Maitama, Guzape, Apo, Wuse 2, or Asokoro.

She ordered that the sureties must deposit the documents of the property with the court’s registrar, along with two recent passport photographs.

Justice Anenih also ordered that Bello must deposit two copies of his recent passport photograph, alongside a photocopy of a means of identification, which could either be an International Passport or National Identity card, after presenting the original to the court’s registrar.

She ruled, “The first defendant must not travel without the permission of this court, and he shall remain in the Kuje Correctional Facility until the bail conditions are met.”

Recall that on December 10, the court had rejected Bello’s bail request, citing procedural irregularities in the filing of the application.

Justice Anenih, while delivering the ruling, explained that the application was premature and filed before Bello was present in court or custody.

The court noted that the bail application, dated November 22, 2024, was submitted before Bello’s arraignment, which took place on November 27, 2024, days after he was taken into custody on November 26, 2024.

She said, “Having not been filed when the first defendant was either in custody or before the court, this instant application is incompetent.”

“Consequently, the application, having been filed prematurely, is hereby refused.”