Bello’s vacation order for forfeited Dubai asset, 14 others, fails to gel as court adjourns ruling

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has failed to secure vacation order for his forfeited Dubai mansion and 14 other assets located in Lagos and Abuja when the case came up for hearing before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday.

Represented by his lawyer, Mr. Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, sought for the vacation of Court order which frozen his assets.
It would be recalled that the governor’s assets have been frozen at the instance of t

Recall that he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) had frozen Bello’s assets following a thorough investigation and discovery that 14 properties were linked to the Governor including a mansion in Dubai in the United Arab Emirate.

The prosecution counsel for the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedopo,, SAN had on February 22, 2023 raised an exparte motion in Court for an interim forfeiture order against governor Yahaya Bello alleging that the assets in motion were unlawfully acquired using the public funds and the Court granted the confiscation request of 14 properties and firms in Lagos, Abuja, and the United Arab Emirates.

The sum of N400 million was also recovered from one Aminu Falala who is working for Bello by the EFCC operatives.

Bello’s lawyer told the Court on Tuesday that he had an application dated March 9, 2023, seeking to vacate the order of the court made on February 22.

Oyedepo in his response said that the applicant had brought nothing before the court to convince the court to vacate the order.

He urged the court to dismiss the application of the applicant seeking to vacate the order earlier made by the court.

After arguments by the prosecution and defence lawyers, Justice Nicholas Oweibo adjourned the matter till April 20, 2023