Most Wanted Nigerian Suspect:
Inside Details of how YAHAYA BELLO alias ‘White Lion’ used Wife, Rashida, Nephews as front to manipulate government bank accounts, siphoned N90 billion cash, looted funds greater than Kogi State Annual Budget
…’I am innocent of any financial allegation, I will show up in court to clear myself only if I will not be arrested’, embattled fugitive former governor lament from hideout
*Suspect transferred over N8 billion lump sum secretly to one individual Abdulsalami Hudu, having a Zenith Bank Account Number 1010662710, a UBA account number 105503782 received N1.485 Billion, On 30/11/18, eleven transfers were made from the same IGR account to UBA account number 1020463549; same day another N42million was transferred in 13 times
*Lavish funds to build 147 real estate buildings within Nigeria
*Prostitutes, Reptiles invade fleeing politician’s luxurious mansion in United Arab Emirates property located at Plot 160 Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, Dubai, U.A.E
*Kogi Rights Group Urges Anti-graft agency to prosecute Yahaya Bello
*Security agents working round the clock to prevent escape of fleeing politician from Nigeria, INTERPOL on Red Alert
*”Yahaya Bello must turn self in to us. No one is above the law. We are prosecuting Yahaya Bello alongside Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu on 19-count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80, 246, 470,089.88k (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty-nine Naira, Eighty-eighty Kobo)”-EFCC
*BY ADUNNI ADEJARE/CRIME Reporter, Lagos, KOLADE ADEBIJA, Law Enforcement Correspondent, Abuja, & NURENI LAWAL, DIPLOMATIC Correspondent, reporting LIVE from Dubai, NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER
EMBATTLED FORMER GOVERNOR OF KOGI STATE, Yahaya Adoza Bello is facing the greatest battle of his life and he is leaving no-stone-unturned to breathe a fesh air of freedom for allegedly squandering a huge sum of N90billion, a sizeable chunk sum far over the annual budget of the state he once governed. This politician with ‘nine-lives’ known in Africa’s most populous black nation as a ‘White-Lion’, a mantra that his circle of friends calls him for being ‘not afraid’ of any situation; has long gone into hiding for fear of apprehension by the eagle eyes of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
In his reaction to being declared wanted by EFCC, Bello squealed from his hideout, saying: “I am innocent of any financial allegation, I will show up in court to clear myself only if I will not be arrested”.
Meanwhile, the fronts used in this regards are the ex-governor’s 38-year-old wife, Rashida, who disguises herself in her Wikipedia page as a ‘philanthropist’, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, being his family relations.
This is reason why on April 23, Bello, alongside Ali, Suleiman, and Hudu, are facing prosecution by the EFCC on 19 counts related to money laundering in a total sum of N80,246,470,089.88k (N80.25 billion).
Bello, initially selected by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015 to succeed the late Abubakar Audu, later secured election in 2019, concluding his second and final term in January of the following year.
From 2016 to 2024, he served as Kogi State’s Governor for a total of 8 years. There is a worrying claim regarding the state’s underdevelopment despite the revenue accrued to the government during Bello’s administration.
This report examines the total revenue received by the Bello administration.
Kogi State’s financial landscape reflects a significant reliance on Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations, as outlined in Dataphyte’s analysis.
Over the period spanning 2016 to 2022, the state’s total revenue amounted to N448.48 billion, with FAAC contributions constituting 76% (N340.06 billion) and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accounting for 24% (N108.42 billion).
Notably, the state’s total yearly expenditure, inclusive of FAAC and IGR, has never surpassed N80 billion during Bello’s tenure, with 2021 marking the closest estimate at approximately N77.79 billion.
Recent projections indicate a substantial increase in state revenues, with states set to receive N2.24 trillion more than in 2023, totalling N3.3 trillion.
This surge is attributed to enhanced revenue streams, including earnings from oil exports, taxes, and other statutory allocations, following policy shifts such as subsidy removal.
Under the current revenue-sharing model, the federal government receives 52.68%, while states and local governments receive 26.72% and 20.60%, respectively.
This upward trajectory in revenue distribution is mirrored in Kogi State’s FAAC allocations, which experienced a 175% increase compared to the beginning of Bello’s administration.
These developments underscore a notable shift in Kogi State’s financial profile amidst broader changes in national revenue distribution dynamics.
A state’s revenue is a vital tool for driving social and infrastructural development within a state. It empowers the government with the resources necessary to make informed decisions aimed at meeting the fundamental needs of its citizens.
It is left to see what the incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, the ‘godson of Bello’, like his current colleagues, would do with the current upsurge in State revenues from the federation account.
In retrospect, it is left to see whether Bello really embezzled more than his state’s total revenues in any of the years during his 8-year tenure.
*DUBAI Hotel:
NAIJA STANDARD INVESTIGATION revealed that Bello’s prime property in the emirate under the scrutiny of EFCC located at Plot 160 Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, Dubai U.A.E.”, reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity; has been empty (unoccupied) in recent days.
A visit by one of our reporters to this tall sky-scrapper witnessed the invasion of reptiles, rodents, and a stream of prostitutes dressed in hijabs who stop over in the massive building for short quickies of sex-mostly the cover of darkness.
For fear of arrest by Dubai police officers, these prostitutes refused to talk directly to us on why they had to use Bello’s house balcony and environment as a ‘brothel’ to satisfy their lust for money. On a closer look at this mansion at night, you will see rodents and reptiles competing for space on the edifice.
Without wanting to be identified to avert backlash, a-25-year-old lady, Alimat (names withheld) explained: “We hear the owner of this giant building is a rich politician from Nigeria, who was a former governor of Kogi State. He has not physically visited this building in recent times. And as you know that inflation is high here in Dubai. To survive, many of us take to prostitution, offering ‘quickie services’ so we can make money. Immediately we take our clients to a corner of this building premises at night and we finish, we walk away quickly”.
BREAKDOWN of the scam:
Other financial documents from Kogi State sighted by one of our correspondents revealed that Bello transferred over N8 Billion to an individual named Abdulsalami Hudu, with account number 1010662710 with Zenith Bank in what appears to be money laundering.
The transfers which were from the Kogi State Statutory Revenue Account happened between January and December 2018.
Though the identity of the individual was not revealed in the document in our possession, checks at the Kogi Governor’s office revealed that he is an operator of a Bureau De Change.
On 1/06/18, N350 million was moved from that state account to Hudu’s account in installments of N10 million. On 26/02/18, N400 million was transferred to Hudu in the same installments of N10m. Between 18/01/18 and 28/02/18, Bello instructed to be transferred to Hudu, N450 million in installments of N10 million.
Between 2/03/18 and 15/03/18, N 900 million was transferred to the same account in Zenith, while on 6/04/18 and 26/06/18, N1 Billion was transferred to Hudu’s account with Zenith.
Another curious transfer from the state account was N500 million made to one Comfort Umar on 23/01/18.
On 28/11/18, eleven transfers of N134, 641,00 was made from the Kogi state IGR account to Airtel Network Limited at UBA with the account number, 105503782. The total amount was N1.485 Billion. On 30/11/18, eleven transfers were made from the same IGR account to account number 1020463549 with UBA that belongs to MTN. The same day, N42,735,000 was transferred 13 times to MTN.
On 30/11/18, N10,054,253 was transferred to UBA account number 105503782 that belongs to the National Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC). That transaction was made 12 times to the same account the same day. Total, N132 million.
*Earlier N11billion allegedly stolen by Yahaya Bello as petitioned to former President Buhari:
It would be recalled that earlier ex-Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari and EFCC received a petition alleging how Bello looted the state’s treasury in the sum of N11 billion.
The petition was sent to the EFCC, copied the then president and the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo by the Egalitarian Mission for Africa, EMA, also named Edward Onoja, Chief of Staff to former Governor of Kogi State; Commissioner for Works and Finance; Permanent Secretary, Government House, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Permanent Secretary, Board of Internal Revenue, Accountant-General, Director-General, Bureau for Public Procurement, Chairman, Board of Internal Revenue, Kogi State and some business outfits, as conspirators.
The petition was signed by EMA’s Country Director, Nigeria, Idris Usman and the Legal Adviser, Olutosin Ojaomo and dated 12 August, 2016.
The petition alleged the award of bogus contract for the renovation of 17 units of mostly three bedroom bungalows for a whooping sum of N 1.6 billion awarded to MAJ Global Construction Company Ltd. without tender, contrary to the Public Procurement by the Kogi State Governor.
A breakdown of the projects showed that N500,000 was meant for preliminaries, N56.831 million for renovation of Personal Assistance residence; N55.393 million for Permanent Secretary residence; N85.553 million for PPS residence, N54.171 million for ADC residence, Guest House (Aliyu) residence, N64 million and 64.67 million for Accountant General’s residence.
Others scam listed were for the then Deputy Governor’s Protocol residence, N53.324 million; C.S.O residence N52.916 million; C.P residence, N 50.557 million; SSG residence, N 52.321 million; Imam’s Residence N47.527 million; 6 units office building, N 857 million; four units Residential Building N669.645 million and consultancy fees, N40 million, bringing the cumulative total to N1.566 billion.
“We strongly believe that the so called phoney renovation contract was an avenue to steal and launder funds from the commonwealth of Kogi people,” the petition said.
In the petition, EMA alleged that the Bello’s government awarded bogus contract for the construction of AGASA-Ukpogoro Road to AG Vision Construction Nig. Ltd of which N912. 6 million was hurriedly paid in a day without physical mobilisation to site till date.
It also alleged suspicious money laundering of the sum of N87. 5 million and N91.5 million through CGC Construction Company under the guise of payment of contract sum on 22nd June, 2016 and 1st August, 2016 respectively.
The group alleged further of suspicious money laundering of N103.55 million through Auwaliya Global Resources Ltd of the following amount of monies from the same bank and on the same day; N37.694 million, N23.925 million, N36. 249 million, N1.391 million, N2.191 million and N2.107 million.
In the petition, there was also the “suspicious money laundering of the sum of N498, 237, 920. 00 through Westwood Motors Ltd for a spurious award of contract for vehicles that were not purchased. Curiously, the payments were made same day from the same bank as follows; N31, 346, 380. 80; N31, 346, 380. 80; N23, 509, 785. 60; N38, 306,876. 80; N23, 509, 785. 60; N38, 306,876. 80; N23, 509, 785. 60 and NGN23, 509, 785. 60 on the 14th June, 2016.”
According to the petition, there was also “suspicious money laundering of the sum of N395, 103, 737. 13 million through Kefia Global Concepts Ltd which payments were made on the 29th March, 2016 and from the same bank, Zenith Bank as follows; N39, 243, 750. 00; N39, 765, 000. 00; N37, 765, 000. 00; N37, 878, 750. 00; N40, 495, 000. 00; N141, 393, 365. 99 (paid in 10th June, 2016) and N60, 562, 871. 00 paid in 17th June, 2016,” among others.
“From the aforementioned, it is crystal clear that there exists many instances of breach of trust, money laundering and misappropriation of funds by the individuals and corporate bodies mentioned above.
“Therefore as a Civil Society Organization, with zero tolerance with the violation of the law and in pursuant with our mandate, we are under obligation to bring these suspected criminal conducts and financial crimes under your regulatory and investigative powers as provided under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act.
“From the foregoing, we therefore urge you to use your good offices to do the following; urgently commence comprehensive investigation into our petition; promptly beam your searchlights on the Bank accounts of the Kogi State Government, particularly those of Zenith Bank Plc., Access Bank Plc., and Skye Bank Plc. That the personal and company accounts of the Bello and others mentioned above be investigated with a view to determining the movement of the monies under consideration.
*Lavish funds to build 147 real estate buildings within Nigeria:
Acting on the petition, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency was able to trace no fewer than 147 houses to the former Kogi State Governor, his nephews.
This was why Bello, some officials of his government and his relations have been on the prying eyes of the anti-graft agency recently.
One one Aliyu Bello and Dauda Suleiman-two nephews of Bello, were used to siphon N10.2billion from the state government accounts and are currently in prison custody after failing to meet their bail conditions.
Initial reports only identified Aliyu Bello as the governor’s nephew but sources told NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER that Aliyu and Dauda, who were remanded in prison are Governor Bello’s nephews.
Aliyu and Dauda, alongside one Abdulsalami Hudu, Cashier of Kogi State House Administration (now at large) were arrested and arraigned before Justice James Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday on 10 counts bordering on misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N10.2 billion.
Aliyu Bello and Dauda Suleiman are accused of fraudulently withdrawing a sum of N10,270,556,800 (Ten Billion, Two Hundred and Seventy Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-six Thousand Eight Hundred Naira), from the Kogi State treasury, which they delivered to a Bureau de Change operator, Rabiu Tafada in Abuja to keep or change to foreign currencies for personal gains.
The 147 houses linked to Yahaya Bello’s nephews were discovered in Abuja alone.
The anti-graft agency was also reported to have sealed off over 50 houses and other properties in different choice locations across the country belonging to Bello, over the nephew’s alleged money laundering cases.
A source in EFCC revealed that some of the discovered properties, including a five-bedroom fully detached duplex and 150-room five star luxury hotel in Kogi and Abuja respectively were allegedly acquired with proceeds of N10billion money laundering fraud.
His words: “Yes, I can authoritatively confirm that properties of the former governor, including 50 houses, hotels and others in different locations in the country have been sealed by detectives of the EFCC attached to the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering.
“Some of the properties so far sealed were said to have been allegedly acquired from proceeds of the money siphoned by the governor through his nephew. The EFCC is committed to pursuing the case despite the distractions from the governor and his sympathiser and the governor may finally forfeit the property among other consequences if finally proven guilty.”
*Kogi Rights Group Urges Anti-graft agency to prosecute Yahaya Bello
A human rights group, Kogi Concerned Citizens Forum urged the EFCC to ensure that the ongoing investigation of the alleged looting of N80 billionaire and N10 billion by the former governor of Kogi state and all local governments Chairmen should be concluded without any intimidation by parties involved.
The plea was made when the group staged a protest. The funds were looted in two tranches, N80 and N10billion.
It also called on EFCC to wade into the state government financial activities between 2016 to January 2024 for productive results of the betterment of Kogi state people.
*EFCC Response to Yahaya Bello:
Finally, the former Kogi State governor was on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 served his charges through his counsel, Abdulwahab Muhammad (SAN) after Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja ruled that the defendant should be served through his counsel, especially as he failed to appear before the court, yet again.
EFCC is prosecuting Yahaya Bello alongside Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu on 19-count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80, 246, 470,089.88k (Eight Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty-nine Naira, Eighty-eighty Kobo).
At that Tuesday’s sitting, Bello’s counsel, Adeola Adedipe (SAN) prayed the court to quash the arrest warrant granted the Commission against Bello, arguing that Tuesday’s substituted service to the defendant through his counsel Abdulwahab Muhammad (SAN) has invalidated the arrest warrant.
“The court is expected to do justice at all times. A warrant of arrest cannot be hanging on Bello’s neck when we are in this court. It appears to us that the defendant will not get justice because the court granted a warrant of arrest before service,” he said.
However, prosecution counsel, Kemi Piniero (SAN) in response, urged the court to decline hearing on any motion from Bello’s legal team until the defendant is physically present in court for his arraignment.
“The stage we are in now is to determine the whereabouts of the defendant. He cannot be in his house while the trial proceeds without him coming here to take his plea. My Lord, this is a criminal matter not a civil matter, he must come and take his plea. It is a matter of over N80 billion. All these applications by the defendant are to prevent his arraignment and frustrate the commencement of trial,” he said.
After hearing both counsels, Justice Nwite adjourned ruling on the defense’s application, seeking a revocation of the arrest warrant on Bello till May 10, 2024.
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