Yahaya Bello: EFCC files fresh N110bn fraud charges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed fresh charges against the wanted former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, accusing him of N110bn fraud. The EFCC had initially filed 19 charges against the former Kogi governor, along with his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, for money laundering offences amounting to N80,246,470,088.88. However, in the fresh 16 charges dated September 25, a copy which was obtained by JAWASI correspondent on Wednesday, the total sum of the same money laundering offences rose to N110,446,470,89.00. Bello, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu were listed as first to third defendants. He, alongside other defendants, was alleged to have bought a total of 12 houses in various locations in Abuja with the money. The trio were alleged to have committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum of N110, 446, 470, 089.00 entrusted to them. Also, the EFCC said Bello, Oricha and Hudu in 2023, in Abuja, while having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N950,000,000.00 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja.