A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has issued a public summons to Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, ordering him to appear in court on October 24, 2024, for arraignment on a 16-count charge of alleged financial crimes.
The summons, issued on Thursday by Justice Maryanne Anenih, directs Bello to face charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges involve a criminal breach of trust involving N110,446,470,089, a violation of sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, and punishable under section 312 of the same law.
Justice Anenih further ordered the EFCC to publish the summons in a national newspaper, as well as paste copies of the summons at Bello’s last known address and in conspicuous locations within the court premises.
The EFCC had sought the court’s intervention after claiming difficulty in serving Bello with the charge, marked CR/778/24, which was filed on September 25.
Bello is set to be tried alongside two officials of the Kogi State government — Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha. The defendants are accused of using funds from the Kogi State treasury to acquire properties in upscale areas of the FCT and Dubai, according to details from the charge sheet.
The court’s decision sets the stage for what is expected to be a high-profile trial focused on the alleged misappropriation of state funds during Bello’s time as governor.