EFCC arraigns ex-Kogi governor Yahaya Bello on N110bn fraud charges

Mr Bello's co-defendants also pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to charges of diversion of N110 billion in public funds.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him before Judge Maryanne Anenih of the FCT High Court, Abuja.

Mr Bello pleaded not guilty to each of the 16 counts brought against him by the EFCC.

The EFCC named two other defendants in the case—Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu— accused of conspiring with Mr Bello in the alleged diversion.

Mr Bello’s co-defendants also pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The former governor faces a separate case involving an alleged N80 billion money laundering scheme. Both cases stem from accusations of financial impropriety during Mr Bello’s eight-year tenure as governor of Kogi State.

Details later