FCT High Court Rejects Bail Application by Ex-Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello in N110 Billion Fraud Case

 FCT High Court Rejects Bail Application by Ex-Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello in N110 Billion Fraud Case

Abuja, Nigeria – December 2024 – The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has dismissed the bail application filed by Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of Kogi State, in connection with an alleged fraud case involving N110 billion. The application, which was submitted prior to Bello’s detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was ruled as premature and incompetent.

In her ruling, Justice Maryann Anenih explained that the bail request, filed on November 22, was made before Bello was taken into EFCC custody on November 26. The judge emphasized that bail applications are typically used to challenge the detention of a defendant, and since Bello had not yet been detained at the time, his motion was invalid.

Justice Anenih also noted that the defendant’s filing indicated an attempt to invoke the court’s jurisdiction prematurely. She highlighted that proper legal procedures must be followed when seeking bail, which was not the case in this instance.

On November 27, Bello, along with two others—Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu—was arraigned on 16 counts of fraud brought by the EFCC. The charges, filed on behalf of the federal government, include allegations of criminal breach of trust involving over N110 billion, specifically N110,446,470,089, among other charges. The case, marked FCT/HC/CR/778/24, is set to continue in the coming weeks.

This decision underscores the importance of adhering to legal procedures when seeking bail, and the trial will proceed with a focus on the serious fraud allegations against the former governor.