EFCC Charges Miyetti Allah President Over Alleged $2.53m Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 12-count charge against the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, over alleged money laundering and terrorism financing offences involving approximately $2.53 million.

According to court documents filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the anti-graft agency accused Bodejo of receiving and possessing large sums of foreign currency outside the formal banking system in contravention of Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.

Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore is one of the prominent associations representing the interests of cattle owners and herders across the country.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale said the charges were filed on June 22, 2026 following investigations into a series of cash transactions allegedly involving a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sa’idu Abubakar.

The commission alleged that Bodejo received multiple cash payments in United States dollars from Abubakar without routing the transactions through financial institutions as required by law.

According to the EFCC, one of the charges relates to an alleged payment of $100,000 received on January 11, 2022 in Abuja.

The agency said the transaction exceeded the legal threshold for cash payments and should have been processed through a recognised financial institution.

The charge stated:

"That you, BELLO ABDULLAHI BODEJO, on or about the 11th day of January 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and willfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a payment of the sum of One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (USD $100,000) in physical currency from one SA’IDU ABUBAKAR without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law."

The EFCC also alleged that Bodejo received another $200,000 in cash from the same source on January 21, 2022.

Court documents further accused the Miyetti Allah leader of accepting larger sums in subsequent transactions.

The commission alleged that he received:

$980,000 on February 7, 2024,

$500,000 on March 20, 2024 and

Other dollar payments forming part of the total amount under investigation.

One of the charges alleged that Bodejo knowingly accepted $980,000 in physical cash from Abubakar in Abuja without using any financial institution.

The EFCC said the transactions violated provisions of both the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Beyond the alleged cash transactions, prosecutors also accused Bodejo of possessing funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

According to one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that on or about February 7, 2024 the Miyetti Allah president took possession of $980,000 under circumstances in which he knew or reasonably ought to have known, that the funds were linked to unlawful activities.

The commission maintained that the alleged conduct constitutes an offence under Nigeria’s anti-money laundering framework.

The EFCC said the charges are punishable under relevant provisions of the country's money laundering laws.

However, a date for Bodejo’s arraignment has not yet been fixed by the Federal High Court.

As of the time of filing this report, neither Bodejo nor his legal representatives had publicly responded to the allegations.

The case is expected to attract significant public attention given Bodejo’s position as president of one of Nigeria’s most influential cattle breeders and herders' associations and the seriousness of the allegations contained in the charge.