Yahaya Bello

FG files new N110bn fraud charges against Yahaya Bello

By Uzair Adam

The Federal Government has filed a fresh 16-count charge against Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State.

The charges, submitted on Wednesday at a Federal High Court in Abuja, allege a criminal breach of trust amounting to N110,446,470,089, in violation of sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap. 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.

The offense is punishable under Section 312 of the same law.Bello, who was previously facing a 19-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is now charged alongside two other Kogi State government officials, Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha.

The charge sheet reveals that the trio allegedly misappropriated funds from the Kogi State treasury to acquire properties in Abuja and Dubai.

One of the charges accuses the defendants of conspiring to commit a criminal breach of trust in 2016 in Abuja involving N110.4 billion.

Other charges include allegations that they used N950 million in 2023 to acquire a property at 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, and N100 million in 2021 to purchase another property in Gwarimpa I District, Abuja.

Additional charges state that N920 million was used in 2020 for a property in Asokoro, Abuja, while another N170 million was used to acquire property in Wuse Zone 4 in 2022.

Properties in Guzape District and Lome Street, Abuja, were allegedly purchased for N100 million each in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

Other acquisitions in Wuse 2, Maitama District, and Dubai were reportedly worth hundreds of millions.

One count also claims that the defendants spent over N310 million in 2017 to renovate a property in Wuse Zone 4.

Furthermore, two charges allege they transferred over $1 million to a TD Bank account in the United States in 2021.The EFCC first declared Bello wanted on April 18, 2024, over allegations of money laundering and misappropriation amounting to N80.2 billion.

Despite several attempts to apprehend him, Bello has managed to avoid arrest.In August 2024, the Court of Appeal in Abuja ordered Bello to surrender for arraignment.

However, reports suggest that the former governor has been in “protective custody” of the Kogi State government.

Bello’s media office recently claimed he visited the EFCC headquarters in September, but the anti-graft agency denied this, reaffirming that the former governor remains a wanted man.

Gunfire heard during EFCC’s attempted arrest of Yahaya Bello at Asokoro lodge

By Uzair Adam

The media office of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has accused operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of launching a raid at the Kogi Government Lodge in Asokoro on Wednesday night in an attempt to arrest the ex-governor.

According to a statement released by the Media Director of Bello’s team, Ohiare Michael, the EFCC officers allegedly fired gunshots into the air in their effort to apprehend the former governor.

“It has come to our attention that operatives suspected to be from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are currently surrounding the Kogi Government Lodge in Asokoro in an attempt to forcibly arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello,” the statement read.

The statement also added that, “They have been shooting sporadically.”

Michael also noted that Yahaya Bello had earlier visited the EFCC office voluntarily but was asked to return at a later time.

He claimed that despite this, the anti-graft agency resorted to mounting a siege at the government lodge.

“We want to make it clear that if anything happens to the former governor, the EFCC should be held responsible. This attack was unnecessary, as Governor Bello had already made himself available to the commission for interrogation earlier in the day,” Michael said.

The statement further criticized the EFCC’s actions, labeling them as politically motivated and not aligned with their mandate to fight corruption.

It was reported that the EFCC had filed a 19-count charge of money laundering against Bello before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

As of now, the EFCC has not issued an official response to the allegations.

I want to appear before court but afraid of arrest—Yahaya Bello

 By Uzair Adam Imam 

The embattled immediate past of Governor of Kagi State, Yahya Bello, has said that he did not appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja today because he feared that he could be arrested. 

However, Bello said he is ready to answer to the 19-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred against him. 

The Daily Reality learned that, although Bello was absent for his arraignment, he briefed a team of lawyers who addressed the court on his behalf on Tuesday. 

Mr. Adeola Adedipe, SAN, who is a member of his legal team, told the court that his client would have made himself available for proceedings, but was afraid that he would be arrested. 

“The defendant wants to come to court but he is afraid that there is an order of arrest hanging on his head,” Adedipe, SAN, submitted. 

He also urged the court to set aside the exparte order of arrest it earlier issued against the former governor. 

Adedipe, SAN, contended that as at the time the order of arrest was made, the charge had not been served on his client as required by the law. 

He noted that it was only at the resumed proceedings on Tuesday that the court okayed substituted service of the charge on the defendant, through his lawyer. 

“As at the time the warrant was issued, the order for substituted service had not been made. That order was just made this morning. 

“A warrant of arrest should not be hanging on his neck when we leave this court,” counsel to the defendant added.

Court restrains EFCC from arresting Yahaya Bello

By Uzair Adam Imam

The High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has issued a restraining order against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), preventing them from violating the fundamental human rights of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, former Governor of Kogi State.

During a two-hour session at High Court 4, presided over by Hon. Justice I.A Jamil, in suit no HCL/68/M/2020, the court delivered a verdict on Wednesday.

The judgment prohibits the EFCC from engaging in actions such as arresting, detaining, or prosecuting Bello without explicit authorization from the court.

This definitive order builds upon an earlier interim injunction.The legal proceedings stemmed from a lawsuit initiated by Alhaji Yahaya Bello, who sought to protect his fundamental rights against the EFCC.

The court also mandated the respondents to cease any ongoing persecution of the applicant.

Addressing jurisdictional challenges raised by the EFCC, the court dismissed them in its judgment.Counsel for Alhaji Yahaya Bello, SA Abbas and MS Yusuf, hailed the judgment as a landmark decision.

Similarly, the defense counsel, T.U Odima and Patrick O. Jibril, expressed their alignment with the judgment, praising its thoroughness.

Kogi unfit for our investment – BUA Group

By Uzair Adam Imam

The BUA Group responded to the threat by the Kogi State Assembly to revoke the 500-hectare land allocated to the company a decade ago, saying the group is no longer interested in the land.

On Monday, the Kogi State House of Assembly summoned the cement firm to account for why it failed to pay the premium and other charges.

The assembly alleged that the company did not pay the charges despite being issued a certificate of occupancy

But, the management of the company, in a statement Tuesday, said the feasibility studies had shown that only about 30% of the entire land mass is suitable for their investment, while the rest (66%) consists of rocky, hilly and/or undulating areas.

The company also stated that the government had failed to provide infrastructure to make the area accessible, adding, “The land could also be reached by water.”

This is, however, coming amidst a crisis with the Dangote Group over the ownership of the Obajana cement plant in Kogi State.

The conflict deepened last weekend as the state government and Dangote Cement Plc continued to lay claims to the facility.

Obajana (Dangote) plant invasion: Implications for public-private partnerships in Nigeria (I)

By Tordue Simon Targema

Last week, the Obajana Cement Plant came under siege by armed vigilante groups from the Kogi State Government, acting on the orders of the State House of Assembly who stormed the Company to seal it and ground its operations.

This was followed by war of words between the Kogi State Government and Dangote Industries Ltd. on the establishment, acquisition, ownership and legal rights of operations of the company.

The House of Assembly premised its decision to seal the Company over its management’s refusal to appear before a public hearing on petitions bothering on the acquisition of the Company by Dangote Industries Ltd. This, the House considered arrogant and hence, had to wield its sledge hammer on the Company to serve as deterrent to it, and indeed, other investors in the State.

Reports also indicate that the Company’s management had earlier shunned a Commission of Inquiry set up by the State Government to investigate petitions bothering on its acquisition and operations by Dangote Industries Ltd.

This scenario is unfortunate and regrettable, especially as Nigeria grapples with untold economic hardships and paucity of vibrant private companies that will provide adequate buffers to the nose-diving economy, create job opportunities and mop up the teaming jobless youth that have littered her streets today.

But the fundamental questions lingering on several minds since this crisis erupts, however, are: why did Dangote Industries Ltd. snub the Kogi State Government and House of Assembly, giving rise to this preventable misfortune? If Dangote Industries Ltd. is innocent of the allegations, why evade a Commission of Inquiry and a House of Assembly public hearing that would have provided the best platforms for the Company to exonerate itself?

Again, Why allow the crisis to degenerate to this level, despite the numerous warning signals? Does it mean that the Company operates without a proactive conflict management strategy to arrest this sort of obvious conflict prompters and nib them in the bud?

These questions continue to beg for answers, and have caused many to accuse the operators of Dangote Industries Ltd. of arrogance and blatant disregard to constituted authorities within their operational domains.

Beyond these, however, the behaviour of the Kogi State Government and its operatives suggest that someone somewhere wants to “cash out” from the Company, and has decided to use this brute invasion as the best means of actualising the selfish ambition. Yes, available records have provided sufficient proofs to this effect.

To start with, most of the claims contained in the report of the Commission of Inquiry chaired by the Head of Service to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Ayoade are utterly mischievous and amusing.

The Committee, for instance, could neither interact with any of the four government representatives that interfaced with Dangote Industries Ltd. to transfer ownership of the Company from the State Government to Dangote in 2002, nor interact with the Company’s management team; yet, concluded its report and made damning recommendations based on selective documentary evidence!

Curiously, the agreement that facilitated transfer of the Company which was duly signed by the then Executive Governor of Kogi State, late Prince Abubakar Audu has been “invalidated” by the Committee on the grounds that it lacks “consideration” 20 years later!

To claim in 2022 that an agreement signed and implemented since 2002 lack consideration is funny, given that the same agreement has been guiding operations of the Company all this while.

Notably, this agreement which the Committee invalidates is explicit in its terms regarding ownership of the Company when it states that: “the State, being the sole owner of the Company hereby offers, and DIL (Dangote Industries Limited), accepts the transfer of 90% of the total shareholding in the Company.”

This transfer was made in the light of the State Government’s apparent inability to adequately exploit the huge mineral deposits.

The agreement notes categorically in this regard that: “in order to actualise the aspiration of the State and its people to exploit and utilize the abundant minerals for establishment in the State of cement manufacturing plant, the State has invited DIL to consider equity participation in the project.”

Clearly, Dangote Industries Ltd. was not an intruder in Kogi State on cement exploration tour ab-initio, but was duly invited by the State Government to help actualize the goal of adequately exploring and mining mineral deposits in the State under a well-articulated equity regime.

So far, the Company has done well on several fronts such as its enormous contribution to the country’s GDP and provision of employment opportunities. The huge financial investment of Dangote Industries Ltd. into the Company gave it life in 2008 when it finally commenced operations after about 20years of its conception in 1992.

At the moment, Obajana Cement Company is the biggest cement plant in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a nameplate production capacity of about 16.5 million metric tonnes per annum across its five production lines.

With sufficient fuel- gas, coal and diesel- the five cement mills are expected to produce 7000, 000kg of cement each per day. When one considers maintenance and circumstantial stoppage of five days per month, the loss of even a day of production is such a huge pain that management of the Company could not afford to risk.

Presently, due to gas and coal shortage that is being experienced across the country occasioned by flooding, only two to three out of the five production lines can run simultaneously. In this circumstances, a shutdown of the Company by the State Government is least envisaged, and is capable of wrecking untold hardships on the Company’s investments.

It is worthy to note that Obajana Cement Plant provides gainful employment to over 3,000 staff. This is apart from casual workers, cleaners and other private individuals who have business dealings with the Company.

With this manpower capacity, the rippling effect that the Company portends to the economies of both Kogi State and Nigeria at large can be best imagined. Yet, even with this production capacity, the cost of cement in Nigeria is excessively high and continues to rise at an alarming rate given the economic uncertainties of the time.

At the moment, a 50kg bag of cement costs around 3,500 to 4,200. One wonders what the implications of shutting down the largest production plant would be on the supply and price of the product within the shortest possible time, not to mention the thousands of people that are most likely to lose their decent means of livelihoods should the unfortunate crisis linger on.

To be continued

Tordue Simon Targema writes from the department of Journalism and Media Studies, Taraba State University, Jalingo. Email: torduesimon@gmail.com

Governor Bello gives aspirant with disability automatic ticket to contest

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahya Bello, has given an automatic ticket to an aspirant living with a disability to contest on the ruling party’s platform.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, CPS, Onogwu Muhammad, disclosed this in a press statement on Wednesday, May 25, 2022.

The aspirant, Adukwu Emmanuel, is to contest unopposed on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the position of Member in the Kogi State House of Assembly, sequel to the governor’s decision.

“Kogi State Governor, Yahya Bello has granted an automatic nod for House of Assembly aspirant, Mr Adukwu Emmanuel to contest unopposed on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, after putting to vote his decision,” the statement partly reads.

The CPS stressed that the governor has always openly shown support for persons living with disabilities.

“Governor Bello has always openly shown support for the persons with disabilities in his government, which has often reflected in his policies, plans, programmes, bills and appointments of such individual into his cabinet,” part of the statement reads.

According to the CPS, the aspirant is overwhelmed and lauded the governor for being a truly compassionate leader befitting to lead Nigeria.

Yuletide: GYB Awareness Project supports 1500 less-privileged

By: Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Governor Yahaya Bello Awareness Project (GYB Awareness Project) has supported 1500 less-privileged and vulnerable people across the seven (7) north-west states of Nigeria with various cash and gift items ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The National Coordinator, GYB Awareness Project, Saifu Bawa Kajuru, said the goal is to reach out to Nigerians who can’t afford to feed themselves this festive period. He further stated that churches and communities are the major target earmarked by the group.

Apart from the 20, 000 cash disbursed to the beneficiaries, other items distributed by the group included clothes, rice, oil, spaghetti, and cash gifts. Many beneficiaries in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States thanked GYB Awareness Project for their magnanimity.

GYB Awareness Project