leader of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, July 23, 2026 declined to deliver ruling on the application for bail condition variation filed by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore leader, Bello Bodejo.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on July 9, 2026 arraigned Bodejo on a 12-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of $2.33million.
On Monday, July 20, 2026, the court granted him bail in the sum of ₦2 billion with two sureties in like sum and held that the two sureties must be responsible citizens of which one must be an owner of landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC.
The court further directed that one of the sureties must present tax clearance certificates, covering 2023 to 2025. In addition, the court ordered the defendant to deposit his passport with the court and directed the Court Registrar to notify the Nigeria Immigration Service of the passport seizure. It also barred the defendant from travelling outside the country or outside the jurisdiction of the court without the prior permission of the court and adjourned till October 5, 6 and 7, 2026, for commencement of trial.
Unable to meet the bail conditions, Bodejo through his counsel, M. E Sheriff, on July 21, 2026, made an application to the court, praying the court to lessen the bail conditions.
At the hearing on Thursday, the defence counsel asked the court to scale down the bail bond from N2 billion to N300 million, with one surety in like sum, while the prosecution counsel, Fatai Erewuimi informed the court of his counter-affidavit, filed on July 22, 2026, wherein he urged the court to discountenance the application and maintain the status quo ante in the interest of justice.
Justice Ekwo in his response disclosed that the annual vacation of the courts which begins on August 3, 2026 makes it impossible for him to see to the conclusion of arguments on the application and deliver ruling.
“There is no way I can take this application and rule before we proceed on vacation. I am of the opinion that you approach a vacation judge to attend to the matter and take the ruling, after which the file should be returned for trial for this court to proceed. The adjourned dates for the trial of this case are maintained,” he said.
EFCC Arraigns One for Alleged N3.8m Property Fraud in Maiduguri
The Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, July 23, 2026 arraigned one Alhaji Muhammad Talake before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri.
The defendant was arraigned on a two- count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence and criminal misappropriation to the tune of N3,800,000.00 (Three Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).
Count one reads: “That you, Alhaji Muhammad Talake, on or about March, 2025 in Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, with intent to defraud obtained the aggregate sum of N3,800,000.00 (Three Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) from one Muhammad Umar Ali Abatcha, under the false pretence that same is meant for the purchase of a property; ID:BO: 006, situated and laying at Old GRA, circular road, Maiduguri, Borno State, purportedly being a property put up for sale by the Federal Government of Nigeria, a representation which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
Counsel to the prosecution, S.O Saka prayed for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a Correctional facility.
Justice Kumaliya thereafter adjourned the matter till August 10, 2026 for hearing of bail application and ordered the remand of the defendant in Maiduguri maximum correctional facility.
The defendant’s journey to the Correctional facility started when he purportedly obtained the sum of N3.8m from a petitioner for the purchase of a property situated at Old Government Reservation Area, GRA, circular road, Maiduguri, Borno State, purportedly being a property put up for sale by the Federal Government of Nigeria, a representation which was false.
