By Usman Oladimeji
Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday granted bail to Bello Bodejo, leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, in the sum of ₦2 billion over alleged money laundering to the tune of $2.33 million.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Ekwo said Bodejo must produce two sureties in like sum. The judge specified that the sureties must be “responsible persons” and imposed additional conditions for their qualification.
According to the court, one of the sureties must own landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC. The second condition requires one of the sureties to present evidence of tax clearance certificates for 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The Registrar of the court was directed to verify the documents and particulars of the sureties before the bail conditions can be considered fulfilled.
As part of the bail terms, Justice Ekwo also ordered Bodejo to deposit his international passport with the court. The Registrar was instructed to notify the Nigeria Immigration Service of the seizure. The defendant was barred from travelling outside Nigeria or beyond the jurisdiction of the court without prior permission.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had arraigned Bodejo on July 9, 2026, on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering.
Count one alleges that on or about January 11, 2022, in Abuja, Bodejo “knowingly and wilfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a cash payment of the sum of One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (USD $100,000.00) in physical currency” from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State.[ed]
The charge states the amount exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of ₦5,000,000 prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended, and was not routed through a financial institution. The offence is said to be contrary to Section 16(1)(d) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.
Abubakar is currently in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force, according to court documents.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter to October 5, 6 and 7, 2026, for continuation of trial.
