Federal High Court orders Miyetti Allah leader to surrender passport as trial over alleged $2.63 million transactions begins in October.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of 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 alleged money laundering offences involving about $2.63 million.
Delivering ruling on Bodejo’s bail application, Justice Ekwo ordered that the defendant provide one surety in like sum, who must reside in Abuja, possess a three-year tax clearance certificate, and own landed property worth ₦2 billion within the Federal Capital Territory.
The court further directed that the title documents of the property be verified by the court registrar.
Justice Ekwo also ordered Bodejo to surrender his international passport to the court and barred him from travelling outside Nigeria without prior approval of the court.
The judge held that the offences for which the defendant was charged are bailable and that the court could exercise its discretion in his favour.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to 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 and unlawful cash transactions.
According to the EFCC, the Miyetti Allah president allegedly received cash payments amounting to approximately $2.63 million from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, without routing the transactions through financial institutions as required by law.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the transactions, which occurred between January 2022 and March 2024, violated provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Bodejo pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him in court.
The EFCC claimed that the cash payments included $100,000 received 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.
Following his arraignment, Justice Ekwo had ordered Bodejo’s remand in EFCC custody pending the determination of his bail application.