‘N110bn Fraud’: Court To Hear Yahaya Bello’s Fresh Bail Application Today

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court will today hear the bail application filed by Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi.

Bello and his co-defendants — Umar Shoaib Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu — were arraigned on November 27 before the FCT court on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of N110 billion.

On December 10, Maryann Anenih, the trial judge, adjourned the case to January 29 and 30; and February 25 and 27, after refusing to grant bail to the former governor.

The trial judge declined Bello’s bail request on the grounds that the application was filed prematurely.

Anenih averred that the bail application was filed before the ex-governor was taken into custody.

The judge said the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2025 provide that bail applications could be tendered when a defendant has been arrested, detained, arraigned, or brought before the court.

Although Bello was arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on November 26 and arraigned the next day, his bail application was filed on November 22 — four days before his arrest.

Bello’s lawyers, led by Joseph Daudu, have filed a fresh bail application, and the court has agreed to hear the application on December 19.