N80bn Fraud: At Last, Yahaya Bello Arrives In Court

Yahaya Bello, a former governor of Kogi State, has arrived Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Maitama Abuja where he’s facing trial.

This is after he handed himself over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s Operatives on Tuesday.

The former governor, who has reportedly been in hiding since April 2024, was finally brought to the anti-graft agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday at about 12:55 p.m.

Osun Defender reports that Bello was declared wanted by the EFCC after he failed to honour several invitations extended to him before he was being tried in absentia in court.

The former governor has been implicated in a major money laundering case, with the EFCC declaring him wanted on April 18, 2024, in connection with an N80.2 billion fraud charge.

It would be recalled that fresh charges were preferred against the former governor, before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama in Abuja.

The matter, heard on November 14 by the court, was adjourned till today (November 27) when counsel to the EFCC sought an adjournment in the fresh case it instituted against Bello.

The EFCC said the 30-day window given to Bello in line with the laws regarding earlier summons the court issued against him was still running.