The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted bail to the leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, in the sum of N2 billion over his ongoing trial for alleged money laundering involving $2.33 million.
Justice I. E. Ekwo, who presided over the matter, admitted Bodejo to bail with two responsible sureties in like sum.
The judge ruled that one of the sureties must own landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), while the other must provide evidence of tax clearance certificates for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Justice Ekwo further directed the Registrar of the court to verify all documents and particulars submitted by the sureties before the bail conditions would be deemed fulfilled.
As part of the conditions, the court ordered Bodejo to deposit his international passport with the court.
The Registrar was also directed to notify the Nigeria Immigration Service of the seizure of the passport.
The defendant was barred from travelling outside Nigeria or beyond the court’s jurisdiction without prior approval from the court.
Following the ruling, Justice Ekwo adjourned the case until October 5, 6 and 7, 2026, for continuation of trial.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had, on July 9, 2026, arraigned Bodejo on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering involving $2.33 million.
According to the anti-graft agency, Bodejo allegedly received large cash payments in excess of the statutory limit without routing the transactions through a financial institution, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
In the first count of the charge, the EFCC alleged that Bodejo, on January 11, 2022, knowingly accepted $100,000 in cash from a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sa’idu Abubakar, without lawful authority and outside the banking system, despite the amount exceeding the legal cash transaction threshold.
The commission maintained that the alleged act contravenes Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and is punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.
Bodejo has pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts, and the trial is expected to continue on the adjourned dates.
Credit: The Sun