The Federal Republic of Nigeria has filed 16-count charges against former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Umar Shuaibu Oicha, and Abdulsalam Hudu at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
The charges, filed on September 24, 2024, in Case No: CR/7781, include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and possession of unlawfully obtained property. The case is pending before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
Key allegations include conspiracy to commit criminal breach of trust involving N110.4 billion in 2016 and misuse of state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).
Other properties allegedly acquired with misused funds include Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).
Additionally, the defendants are accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from BESPOQUE BUSINESS SOLUTION LIMITED.
Prosecutors include Dr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa (SAN), Hannatu Umar Kofarnaisa, Zeenat Atiku Bala, Abubakar Salihu Wara, Chinenye C. Okezie, Abbas O. Muhammed, Bilkisu Buhari Bala, and Suleiman I. Suleiman.
The charge sheet reads, “That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N950,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N100,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N920,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N170,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2018, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N100,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 1773 Guzape District, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N100,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as No: A02/176 Block 488B, Lome Street, Wuse 1, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime between 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N66,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 739 Aminu Kano Crescent, wuse 2 at No. 13 Citiscape-Sharriff Plaza, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N550,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 2934A Cadastral Zone A06 also known as No.1 Ikogosi Spring Close, Maitama District, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N650,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as No: 1058, Measuring about 1450.77sqm in Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse 2 also Known as NO.2 Durban Street Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty Eight Dirhams for the acquisition of a property located at Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, lying, being and situate at Plot 160, Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No.401, Floor4, Dubai U.A.E.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2016, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N60,000,000 for the acquisition of a property known as Block 18 (337) flat B Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2017, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly used the total sum of N310,443,450 to tastefully renovate a property known as No: 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly sent the total sum of $570,330.00 to account No. 4266644272 Domiciled with TD Bank, United State of America.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, UMAR SHUAIBU ORICHA and ABDULSALAMI HUDU sometime in 2021, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, whilst having dominion over the state’s treasury, dishonestly sent the total sum of $556,265.00 to account No. 4266644272 Domiciled with TD Bank, United State of America.
“That YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO sometime between 2017 and 2018, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, had under your control the total sum of N677,848,000 unlawfully obtained from BESPOQUE BUSINESS SOLUTION LIMITED.”
Curled from Vanguard News under the title Yahaya Bello in deep trouble as EFCC files fresh 16 charges over N110bn fraud, property scam