Court Grants Bello Bodejo ₦2bn Bail in Alleged $2.63 Million Money Laundering Case

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, in the sum of ₦2 billion over allegations of laundering approximately $2.63 million.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who delivered the ruling on Monday, admitted the defendant to bail with one surety in the like sum after holding that the offences for which he is standing trial are bailable and that the court has the discretion to grant bail.

As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered that the surety must be a resident of Abuja, possess land valued at ₦2 billion within the Federal Capital Territory, and provide three years' tax clearance certificates. The judge further directed that the title documents of the property be verified by the court registrar before the bail can be perfected.

Justice Ekwo also ordered Bodejo to surrender his international passport to the court registrar and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria without prior approval of the court.

The court subsequently adjourned the case until October 5, 6 and 7, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

Bodejo was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on multiple counts bordering on alleged money laundering involving about $2.63 million. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The EFCC, represented by Wahab Shittu (SAN), accused Bodejo of receiving several large cash payments from Sa'idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in police custody, without routing the transactions through financial institutions as required by Nigeria's anti-money laundering laws.

According to the charge, Bodejo allegedly received $100,000 on January 11, 2022; $200,000 on January 21, 2022; another $100,000 on October 26, 2022; $980,000 on February 7, 2024; $750,000 on March 3, 2024; and $500,000 on March 20, 2024.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the cash transactions exceeded the statutory threshold permitted under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which require such transactions to be conducted through financial institutions.

At the previous hearing, Bodejo's counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), urged the court to admit his client to bail, arguing that the offences were bailable under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). The application was opposed by the EFCC, which asked the court to remand the defendant pending trial.

Justice Ekwo had reserved ruling on the bail application after the July 9 proceedings before granting the application on Monday.

The case is expected to proceed to full trial in October.