Huge Jubilant Crowd Welcomes Yahaya Bello Back From Kuje Prison 

Huge Jubilant Crowd Welcomes Yahaya Bello Back From Kuje Prison 

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja 

A huge crowd of excited loyalists of Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello welcomed him back to his residence at  Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja on Friday evening following his release from Kuje Prison.

National Periscope gathered from a reliable source that Bello was accompanied by his successor-the current Governor of the state, Usman Ododo and other political bigwigs.

The jubilant crowd who thronged the street treated the White Lion, as he is fondly called, to a heroic homecoming and heaped praises on him for his unwavering bravery in the face of trials.

Bello’s release was confirmed by the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, FCT Command, Adamu Duza, to newsmen on Friday evening.

Duza said, “Yahaya Bello has been released after meeting the bail conditions. He was released this evening (Friday).”

“The Controller of NCoS FCT, Ajibogun Olatubosun, was on the ground to ensure his smooth release and that all protocols were observed.”

Recall that Yahaya Bello, who has been in prison detention since December 10, on Thursday, secured a fresh N500million bail from a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama.

The court, in the ruling that was delivered by Justice Maryann Anenih, equally ordered him to provide three sureties in the like sum.

It held that the sureties must be owners of landed properties within the high brow areas of Abuja.

Former Governor, who piloted the affairs of Kogi state from 2016 to 2024, is facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N110billion fraud.

He is answering to a 16-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and two officials of the Kogi state government- Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.

EFCC alleged that the former governor misused state funds to acquire properties, including No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama District, Abuja (N950 million), No. 1160 Cadastral Zone C03, Gwarimpa II District, Abuja (N100 million), and No. 2 Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Street, Asokoro, Abuja (N920 million).

Other properties the defendants allegedly acquired with funds stolen from the Kogi state treasury, included Block D Manzini Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N170 million), Hotel Apartment Community: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (Five Million, Six Hundred and Ninety-Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Eight Dirhams), Block 18, Gwelo Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N60 million), and No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja (N310.4 million).

Likewise, the defendants were accused of transferring $570,330 and $556,265 to TD Bank, USA, and possessing unlawfully obtained property, including N677.8 million from Bespoque Business Solution Limited.

It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier granted the erstwhile governor bail in the sum of N500m with two sureties, in relation to another 19-count charge that borders on alleged N80.2billion fraud.