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BREAKING: Court grants ex-Gov Bello N500m bail
…Adjourns to Feb 24 for continuation of hearing.
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, granted the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.
This was after the former governor had pleaded not guilty to the 19-count charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
He is facing an alleged money laundering trial to the tune of N80bn but pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
When the case was called for hearing, on Friday, Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, notified the court of the intention of the Prosecution to withdraw an earlier application for abridgment of the earlier date fixed for arraignment.
He said the application had been overtaken by events. The Defendant’s Counsels, led by Joseph Daudu, SAN, did not object and Justice Emeka Nwite, accordingly granted the request.
After the Defendant had taken his plea, Daudu SAN made clarifications on the reasons he had not been in court during the previous hearings.
“I would like to place on record that for any impression that might have been created that the Defendant did not wish to appear before your lordship, coincidentally, the ruling on my lord’s sitting this morning dealt with the issue of jurisdiction.
“What the Defendant did was to ask his counsel to challenge the jurisdiction of the court, which got to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
“So it was not a wishful disrespect but he was only trying to defend himself. So we all hold your lordship in high esteem. If that impression must have been, he should not have presented himself for arraignment.
That episode is gone and things are clearer now,” the Counsel stated. While moving an application for bail, he assured that the former Governor would always be present in court for the trial.
“I am saying this with the highest sense of responsibility that the defendant, a two-term governor of Kogi State, who travelled only two times out of his eight years in service, will always be present in court at all times.
“There should be no apprehension that he will jump bail. So we urge your lordship to grant us very reasonable conditions of bail such that he will be able to bear,” the Defendant’s Counsel said.
He commended the Prosecution Counsel, saying he had conducted himself in the best tradition because the matter was not a do-or-die one.
He said they had agreed that the counsels would not stress his lordship over the issue of bail.
The Prosecution Counsel concurred.Pinheiro, SAN, said, “I must express my honour to the very eminent lead senior counsel. He is a man of immense stature, not because of his size.
“I do respect him as president of NBA. I also confirm that we have been engaging in series of discussion to ease the burden on your lordship in compliance with Rule 26 of Rules of Professional Ethics.
“I also note that your lordship had delivered not less than five rulings in this matter and it is our aim to ease the work.
We are prosecutors not persecutors and EFCC is a professional commission, a prosecutorial and not prosecutorial commission,” he said.
He added, “We accept the assurances of the very eminent SAN that the defendant will make himself available subject to your lordship’s discretionary terms that may be imposed.
“By so doing, we will ease the burden on the court. Therefore, we will not be opposing the eminent SAN’s submission.
“The Prosecution Counsel said though they had filed a counter-affidavit, they would not oppose the bail, going by the assurances of the learned SAN.Ruling on the bail application, Justice Nwite said, “I have listened to the submissions of both counsels.
It is not in dispute that both counsels have filed applications in respect of this.
“Based on the account exhibited by learned counsel for the defendant, which was exhibited and supported by prosecution counsel, I am minded to change my earlier stand on this matter.
“He granted the Defendant N500 million bail with two sureties.
“Sureties must be landed property owners within the jurisdiction of this court. They must swear to affidavit of means. The title deeds of priority to be verified by the court registrar,” he said.
The Defendant was also asked to submit his international passport while he would remain at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
Recall that the ex-governor was earlier remanded in a fresh N110bn charge by the EFCC, pending his bail application.
President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The ceremony followed the Senate’s confirmation of Amupitan’s appointment last week after a rigorous screening session on October 16.
At the swearing-in, President Tinubu tasked Amupitan with safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s elections and strengthening INEC’s institutional capacity.
“As the chairman of INEC, your nomination and confirmation reflect the confidence reposed in you by both the executive and legislative arms of government. This marks the start of a challenging yet rewarding journey, and I trust you will approach your duties with integrity, dedication, and patriotism,” Tinubu said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s democratic progress over 25 years, the President emphasized the need for continuous innovation and reform to maintain free, fair, and credible elections. He urged Amupitan to ensure transparency and public trust throughout the entire electoral process—from voter registration and campaigning to voting and counting.
Amupitan, a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), arrived at the State House on Thursday dressed in traditional white agbada and gold cap ahead of the formal ceremony. He was accompanied by presidential aides.
During his Senate screening, the 58-year-old nominee pledged to restore credibility to Nigeria’s electoral process by prioritizing reforms, including strengthening the Electoral Act to resolve inconsistencies in election timelines and enhance transparency.
“We must conduct elections where even the loser congratulates the winner fairly,” Amupitan told senators, emphasizing the need to rebuild voter confidence.
He also clarified his neutrality by denying any involvement in President Tinubu’s legal team during the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Court, stating, “I never appeared before the Presidential Election Tribunal or the Supreme Court for any party.”
Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu as the sixth substantive INEC chairman since the commission’s establishment. He is expected to immediately begin the transition process at INEC headquarters in Abuja following his swearing-in.
Profile
Born on April 25, 1967, the 58-year-old Amupitan hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. He is a Professor of Law at the University of Jos, Plateau State. He is also an alumnus of the university.
He specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance and Privatisation Law. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2014.
After completing primary and secondary education, he attended Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, from 1982 to 1984, and the University of Jos from 1984 to 1987. He was called to the bar in 1988.
Amupitan earned an LLM at UNIJOS in 1993 and a PhD in 2007, amid an academic career that began in 1989, following his National Youth Service at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation in Bauchi from 1988 to 1989.
He currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, a position he holds in conjunction with being the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University in Osun State.
Among the academic positions he has held at UNIJOS are: Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012-2014); Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008-2014); and Head of Public Law (2006-2008).
Outside of academics, Amupitan serves as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited in Vom, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Governing Council, and a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008-2014), among other roles. He was a board member of Riss Oil Limited, Abuja(1996-2004).
Amupitan is the author of many books on law, such as Corporate Governance: Models and Principles(2008); Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008); Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria(2013), Principles of Company Law(2013) and an Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).
He is married and has four children.
Dangote Group has denied owning the truck that crushed a pregnant woman, a child, and six others to death in an accident in Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The company issued the clarification in a statement on its X account on Wednesday.
The statement followed reports that a cement-laden truck suffered brake failure and rammed into traders and other road users.
Reacting, Dangote Group said the truck involved in the tragic incident does not belong to the group or any of its subsidiaries.
It added that vehicle registration records confirm the truck is owned and operated by an independent logistics company with no affiliation to Dangote Group.
“Dangote Group has refuted reports circulating on social media and in some online platforms linking it to a truck involved in a road accident in Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
“The company wishes to make it categorically clear that the truck involved in the unfortunate incident does not belong to Dangote Group or any of its subsidiaries.
“Verified vehicle registration details confirm that the truck with Plate No. JJJ 365 XB is owned and operated by an independent logistics company with no affiliation to Dangote Group,” the statement reads.
News
VIDEO: Sowore Arrested at Federal High Court Premises, Abuja, After Meeting Nnamdi Kanu.
“The commissioner of police said we should bring you to the office,” the policeman said.
Police operatives have arrested former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Sowore was forcibly taken away by armed police officers from the Federal High Court premises in Abuja on Thursday, October 23, 2025, shortly after attending the court session of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Sowore, who has been leading campaigns for Kanu’s release, was confronted by security operatives who insisted he accompany them to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the officers surrounded him moments after he exited the courtroom, refusing to disclose specific details about his alleged offence.
When questioned by onlookers, one of the policemen stated that they were acting on the directive of the FCT Commissioner of Police.
“The commissioner of police said we should bring you to the office,” the policeman said.
As of the time of filing this report, the reason for Sowore’s arrest and his current whereabouts remain unclear.
Credit: Punch
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