Former Kogi governor remanded in custody after Abuja court rejects his bail application

FORMER Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello has been remanded in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court pending the hearing of his bail application.

In office between 2016 and 2024, Governor Bello is facing corruption charges, particularly allegations that he transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay for his child’s school fees. After leaving office, Governor Bello was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until he was eventually arrested and detained this week.

When his case came up for hearing, Justice Maryann Anenih  adjourned hearing in the N110bn money laundering case brought against Governor Bello by the EFCC to January 29 and 30 and February 25 and 27, next year for hearing. Earlier on, the judge had refused to grant a bail application filed by the former governor, saying it was filed prematurely.

Recalling the arguments before the court on the bail application, the judge had said, “Before the court is a motion on notice, dated and filed on 22nd November. The first defendant seeks an order of this honourable court admitting him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the charge.

“That he became aware of the instant charge through the public summons, that he is a two-term governor of Kogi State. That if released on bail, he would not interfere with the witnesses and not jump bail.”

Mr JB Daudu, the governor's counsel urged the court to exercise its discretion and judiciously grant the bail. In opposing the motion, the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, argued that the application was grossly incompetent, having been filed before arraignment, pointing out that it ought to be filed after arraignment.

However, the second defendant, Umar Oricha, was, granted bail to the tune of N300m with two sureties who shall have property in the Maitama District of the FCT, within the jurisdiction of the court. He was forbade from travelling without the leave of the court and shall remain in Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.

A third defendant, Abdulsalami Hudu, was also granted N300m bail with the same conditions as the second defendant. However, the judge  said that each surety must enter into a bond for not more than one defendant, while the defendants were to deposit their international passports with the court registrar.