EFCC arraigns Miyetti Allah leader Bello Bodejo over alleged $2.33 million money laundering

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday arraigned the leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, before Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over an alleged $2.33 million money laundering scheme.

Mr Bodejo was docked on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering involving $2.33 million.At the commencement of proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), drew the court’s attention to the 12-count charge dated 24 June and filed on 25 June 2026.

He urged the court to allow the defendant to take his plea, a request Justice Ekwo granted.Count one of the charge alleged that Mr Bodejo, on 11 January 2022 in Abuja, knowingly accepted a cash payment of $100,000 from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force, without routing the transaction through a financial institution as required by law.

According to the EFCC, the transaction exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of N5 million prescribed under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Act and punishable under Section 16(2)(b).

Count four further alleged that Mr Bodejo, on 7 February 2024 in Abuja, accepted a cash payment of $980,000 from the same former Accountant-General, also without passing the funds through a financial institution.The commission said the transaction violated Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, having exceeded the statutory threshold for cash transactions.

Mr Bodejo pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts.

Following his plea, Mr Shittu asked the court to fix a date for trial and order the defendant’s remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the determination of the case.Counsel to the defendant, Ahmed Raji, also a SAN, urged the court to admit his client to bail, relying on a bail application filed on 30 June 2026.

However, the prosecution opposed the application, drawing the court’s attention to a 28-paragraph counter-affidavit dated 6 July 2026.

Mr Shittu argued that the defendant constituted a flight risk, adding that the Department of State Services (DSS) was also seeking him. He further contended that, given Mr Bodejo’s influence, there was a likelihood he could interfere with witnesses or obstruct the course of justice if granted bail.

Justice Ekwo ordered that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the determination of his bail application.The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until 20 July 2026 for ruling on the bail application.