Court grants Miyetti Allah Leader Bello Bodejo N2bn bail in alleged $2.33m money laundering trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the President 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 case on Monday, admitted Bodejo to bail with two responsible sureties in like sum.

The court ruled that one of the sureties must own landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), while the second must present tax clearance certificates for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 tax years.

Justice Ekwo also directed the court’s Registrar to verify all documents and particulars submitted by the sureties before the bail conditions would be deemed satisfied.

As part of the bail conditions, Bodejo was ordered to deposit his international passport with the court. The Registrar was further directed to notify the Nigeria Immigration Service of the passport’s custody.

The court also barred the defendant from travelling outside Nigeria or beyond the court’s jurisdiction without prior approval.

Following the ruling, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until October 5, 6 and 7, 2026, for the 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 cash payments exceeding 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 one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that on January 11, 2022, Bodejo 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 said the alleged offence contravenes Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and is punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the Act.

Bodejo pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts, and the trial is expected to continue on the adjourned dates.