Politics
Alleged N110.4bn Fraud: Yahaya Bello Loses Bid for Overseas Medical Trip
Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, July 17, 2025, struck out an application by the former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, for the release of his passport to enable him travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu before Justice Anineh on a 16-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N110.4 billion.
At the last sitting, Bello, through his counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, had made an application, dated June 19, 2025 and filed on June 20, 2025, praying for a temporary release of his passport to enable him attend a scheduled medical appointment in the United Kingdom, with an undertaking to return the passport to the court upon his return.
In his response to the application, prosecution counsel, Chukwudi Enebeli, SAN, however, urged the court to refuse the request, arguing that the application was aimed at altering the bail conditions the court imposed on the defendant, which required him to deposit his passport with the court.
He further argued that the defendant’s sureties ought to have been put on notice to confirm their continued willingness or not to remain as sureties if the defendant was permitted to travel out of the country.
The prosecution counsel further submitted that the defendant had engaged in abuse of court process by filing a similar application in another court, which was still pending.
“The proper thing would have been for the defendant to retrieve his passport from the other court and then apply for a travel permit before this court. Asking both courts to release the same passport at the same time creates the risk of conflicting orders, which is an abuse of process,” he said.
At the resumed sitting on Thursday, prosecution counsel, Jami’u Agburo, informed the court that the matter was for ruling on the application and that the prosecution was ready.
In her ruling, Justice Anineh held that her court lacked the jurisdiction to grant the application since the defendant’s passport was not held by her court.
“A review of the court’s record revealed that the applicant had previously been ordered to deposit his passport and other travel documents with the registry of the court. However, upon further inquiry and search conducted by the court, it was discovered that the said passport was not presently in the custody of the court’s registry but with the Federal High Court. The defendant even deposed to an affidavit himself, stating that his passport had been deposited with the Federal High Court in a bail earlier granted him.
“The simple logic is that the passport cannot be with two different courts at the same time. Since the defendant admitted depositing the passport with the Federal High Court, there is no reason making any order here in regards to the application. Courts don’t make orders in vain and as such, this court will not make any order that will be in vain since the passport in issue is not with this court but the Federal High Court,” she said.
She adjourned the case till October 8, 9 and November 13, 2025, for continuation of trial.
The Federal Government on Wednesday arraigned former Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, and her co-defendant, Gloria Odita, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on multiple counts bordering on alleged fraud, obtaining by false pretence, and criminal breach of trust.
According to the charge sheet presented before Justice Hamza Muazu, the defendants were accused of conspiring in January 2014 to obtain a total of N2,469,030,738.90 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd under allegedly fraudulent claims.
In Count One, the prosecution alleged that Oduah and Odita “agreed amongst yourselves to obtain the whopping sum of Two Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million, Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (₦2,469,030,738.90) … by falsely pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’ and ‘Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,’ which representation you knew to be false.”
The offence violates Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and is punishable under Section 1(3).
In Count Two, the government alleged that on January 13, 2014, the defendants “obtained the sum of Eight Hundred and Thirty-Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (₦839,780,738.90) … by falsely pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’.”
Count Three alleges that on February 12, 2014, the defendants obtained ₦1,629,250,000 from the ministry through Global Offshore Marine Ltd, claiming it was for “Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,” a representation the prosecution says was knowingly false.
In Counts Four and Five, the FG accused Oduah, as minister at the time, of dishonestly misappropriating the same sums earmarked for a contract awarded to 1-Sec Security Nigeria Ltd.
The charge states that she “dishonestly misappropriated the sum … by authorizing the transfer of the said sum, which act is a breach of your official trust,” contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.The charges were read to both defendants, who pleaded not guilty.
The defendants’ lawyers, Chief Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) for Oduah and Wale Balogun (SAN) for Odita, subsequently moved bail applications.
Ikpeazu urged the court to grant his client bail on self-recognition, noting that the first defendant has been a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and has voluntarily flown in from the United States to honour the court summons, and has been on administrative bail with the EFCC.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who appeared personally for the prosecution, said the government was not opposed to bail.
However, he insisted that the court should set a firm date for the hearing, adding that the defendants were served as far back as November 27, 2025, and are fully aware of the steps they ought to take.
Justice Muazu granted Oduah bail on self-recognition and ordered the defendants to deposit their passports with the court.
Justice Mauzu adjourned the matter to February 12 and 13, 2026, for trial.
Politics
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other lawmakers burst into laughter as he announces the birthday of his colleague, Senator Natasha
Yesterday December 9 was the birthday of Senator Akpabio and Senator Natasha. As a rule in the house, the Senate President had to anounce their birthdays so their colleagues can send them birthday wishes. Immediately he announced that Senator Natasha was also celebrating, himself and other lawmakers bursted into laughter.
Recall that both of them are at loggerheads and are even in court.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSE5hkmDLEh/?igsh=MW45eTJzbmd5emkwZw==
In the letter, Adeleke attributed his exit to the crisis at the national level.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has announced his defection to a new political party.
Adeleke recently resigned from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), citing internal crises within the party.
According to a letter addressed to the PDP Chairman of Ward 2, Sagba Abogunde, in Ede North Local Government Area, the governor formally withdrew from the party on November 4, 2025.
In the letter, Adeleke attributed his exit to the crisis at the national level.
“Due to the current crisis within the national leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my membership of the People’s Democratic Party with immediate effect,” the letter read.
Adeleke, who rose to political prominence through the PDP, expressed gratitude for the role the party played in his political journey.
“I thank the People’s Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a Senator (Represented Osun West) and as Governor of Osun State under the People’s Democratic Party,” he stated.
In an announcement on Tuesday evening monitored by SaharaReporters, Adeleke unveiled his new political platform as the Accord Party.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported indications that he would join the Accord Party, citing sources familiar with developments in the state.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSDbL_GjK–/?igsh=dnE1MWNzbzh0azNi
FG arraigns ex-aviation minister Stella Oduah over alleged N2.4b fraud
Adeboye explains why he no longer employs female secretaries
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other lawmakers burst into laughter as he announces the birthday of his colleague, Senator Natasha
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