More Trouble For Yahaya Bello As FG Files Fresh Charges Against Him

The New Diplomat
Writer

Ad

US Core Inflation Climbs to 2.9% In As Tariffs Weigh on Economy

By Obinna Uballa Core inflation in the United States rose to 2.9% in July, marking its highest level since February and signaling that tariffs are filtering through the economy, according to Commerce Department data released Friday.n The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the measure closely watched by the Federal Reserve Bank, showed core prices,…

Canadian Economy Shrinks 1.6% in 2nd Quarter As U.S. Tariffs Squeeze Exports

Canada's economy shrank in the second quarter by a much larger degree than expected as U.S. tariffs squeezed exports, but higher household and government spending cushioned some of the impact, Statistics Canada said on Friday. The GDP for the quarter that ended June 30 slowed by 1.6 per cent on an annualized basis, while first-quarter…

UK Banks stocks slide amid fears of tax hike as European markets dip

By Obinna Uballa In an era of growing global anxieties, British Banks stocks have tumbled amid concerns over a possible tax squeeze. This development saw NatWest dropped 4.7%, Lloyds 3.7%, and Barclays 3.4% after the Financial Times reported that U.K. bank executives fear Finance Minister Rachel Reeves could impose measures such as a profit surcharge…

Ad

By Abiola Olawale

The woes of the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello have continued to compound as the Federal Government has filed a fresh 16-count charge against him.

It was gathered that the charge filed before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja borders on criminal breach of trust to the tune of N110.4 billion.

The Federal Government, in the lawsuit, argued that the alleged breach of trust committed by Bello is contrary to Sections 96 and 311 of Penal Code Law Cap.89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963 and punishable under Section 312 of the same law.

Also named as defendants in the suit are two officials of the Kogi State government, identified as Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha.

The defendants were alleged to have used state funds from the Kogi state treasury to acquire properties in highbrow areas within the FCT and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Part of the charges read: “IN COUNT ONE of the charges alleges that Bello, Oricha and Hudu, sometime in 2016 in Abuja, agreed amongst themselves “to cause to be done an illegal

“Act to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the total sum of N110,446, 470, 089.00 (One Hundred and Ten Billion, Four Hundred and Forty-six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Eighty Nine Naira)

“In COUNT TWO, the defendants were said to have used the total sum of N950 million in 2023, “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja”.

“COUNT THREE accused the defendants of using N100 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 1160 Cadastral Zone CO3, Gwarimpa, district, Abuja” in 2021.

“In COUNT FOUR, they were accused of using N920 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja” in 2020.

“In COUNT FIVE, the defendants allegedly used N170 million “for the acquisition of a property known as Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja” in 2022.

“In COUNT SIX, they allegedly used N100 million to purchase a property known as No: 1773 Guzape District, Abuja in 2018.

“In count seven, they allegedly used another N100 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: A02/176 Block 488B, Lome Street, Wuse 1, Abuja” in 2020.

“In COUNT EIGHT, they were said to have in 2020, used N66 million “for the acquisition of a property known as No: 739 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2 at No. 13 Citiscape-Sharriff Plaza, Abuja”.

This is coming on the heels of earlier 19 count charges bordering on money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion, slammed on Yahaya Bello and other suspects by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

However, all efforts to arraign the former governor before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja have proved abortive as Bello continues to evade arrest.

Ad

X whatsapp