How Yahaya Bello’s Nephew Facing Fraud Charge Became Ododo’s Chief Of Staff

The Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, Usman Ododo appointed his predecessor’s nephew, Ali Bello, as his Chief of Staff after his inauguration as the 5th democratically elected governor of the state on Saturday.

Osun Defender reports that Bello was announced alongside some other cabinet members with some of the Commissioners who worked with the immediate past governor of the state Yahaya Bello retained.

However, the appointment of Ali Bello as the Chief of Staff has generated controversies due to his ongoing case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Apart from being the nephew of the past governor, Bello also has a N3 billion fraud case with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission

Bello was on February 8, 2023, arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside Abba Adauda, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, and Iyada Sadat for allegedly misappropriating N3,081,804,654.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the 18-count charge “bordering on criminal misappropriation and money laundering”.

The presiding judge, Obiora Egwuatu, ordered that the defendants be remanded at a correctional centre pending the ruling on their bail application.

They were later granted bail in the sum of N500 million each with two sureties in like sum.

The judge ruled that the sureties must reside in Abuja, with identifiable addresses, and own landed properties worth N500 million within the jurisdiction of the court.