Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, was granted bail on Thursday by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
The court in Maitama ruled in Favour of the ex-governor after he met the required bail conditions.
Bello, facing charges of criminal breach of trust, had been detained following his arraignment over allegations involving N110 billion.
Bail Conditions and Sureties
The presiding judge, Maryann Anenih, set the bail at N500 million and ordered Bello to produce three sureties with similar financial responsibility. These sureties must be well-established Nigerian citizens, with properties in select areas of the FCT, including Guzape, Wuse 2, and Asokoro. Each surety must also submit two passport photographs and a National Identification Number (NIN).
Bello’s release sparked celebrations, as seen in a viral video showing him and Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo jubilantly celebrating his freedom. The former governor is reportedly back in Kogi State, where the celebrations continued. The court’s decision came just days after another bail ruling in Abuja, where Bello was granted N500 million bail in a separate case involving money laundering of N80 billion.
Legal Proceedings and Adjusted Bail Conditions
The case involving Bello and his co-defendants, Umar Shoaib Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, stems from an investigation into a financial scandal dating back to November 2023. They were initially arraigned on November 27 before the FCT High Court, facing 16 counts of money laundering charges connected to a whopping N110 billion. The court had previously declined Bello’s bail request on December 10, citing the premature filing of the application.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Bello’s defense counsel, Joseph Daudu, applied to withdraw a further affidavit filed in response to the prosecution’s counter affidavit. Both parties agreed, leading to the judge striking out the further affidavit. Daudu also sought adjustments to the bail conditions for Bello’s co-defendants, which the court accepted. The conditions were varied to allow their sureties to own properties anywhere within the FCT.
Additionally, the judge ordered Bello to surrender his international passport and all travel documents to the court. He will remain in Kuje Correctional Centre until the bail conditions are fully met. The case is set to resume in January, with the next hearing scheduled for January 29 and 30, and further hearings in February.
