Former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello Remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre, Bail Denied

Babatunji Wusu –

• Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State, has been remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending his bail application hearing.
• The Federal Capital Territory High Court adjourned the hearing of his N110 billion money laundering case to January and February 2027.
• The court denied his bail application, ruling it was filed prematurely before his arraignment.
• Co-defendants Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu were granted bail with strict conditions.

On Tuesday, the Federal Capital Territory High Court remanded Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of Kogi State, in Kuje Correctional Centre as his bail application was denied. This is part of his ongoing trial for alleged involvement in a N110 billion money laundering scheme, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Maryann Anenih ruled that Bello’s bail application, filed on November 22, 2024, was premature since he had not yet been arraigned at the time of its submission. The judge emphasized that the law stipulates that a bail application can only be made after a defendant has been arrested, detained, or arraigned. Bello had been taken into custody on November 26, 2024, and subsequently arraigned on November 27, 2024.

The case, which involves multiple defendants, was adjourned for further hearings to take place on January 29 and 30, and February 25 and 27, 2027.

Meanwhile, the other two defendants in the case, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, were granted bail in the sum of N300 million each, with strict conditions including providing sureties with property in the Maitama District of the FCT, not leaving the country without court approval, and remaining in Kuje Correctional Centre until bail conditions are met. Both defendants must also deposit their international passports with the court.