Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, national leader of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, is set to be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja over a $2.530 million money laundering case. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 12-count charge against him, with court documents showing he allegedly accepted multiple cash payments in United States dollars from Sa'idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State now in police custody. The charges cover four specific transactions: $100,000 on January 11, 2022, $200,000 on January 21, 2022, $500,000 on March 20, 2024, and $980,000 on February 7, 2024, all in physical currency and above Nigeria's legal cash transaction threshold. Each count states the funds were received without going through a financial institution as required by law. The EFCC alleges the payments violated the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The commission confirmed that all procedural arrangements for the arraignment have been completed, with the plea session expected in the coming days. Bodejo was arrested several months ago by security operatives, though the exact date and circumstances of the arrest were not disclosed. The charges describe him as a male adult and name Sa'idu Abubakar in each count as the source of the funds. The total sum cited across the counts matches the $2.530 million referenced in the EFCC's announcement. Court proceedings will take place in Abuja, where the alleged offences occurred within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
Bello Abdullahi Bodejo faces laundering charges for accepting $2.53 million in cash from a detained former accountant-general, even as he leads a prominent pastoralist group. He is accused of taking four large foreign currency payments outside formal banking channels, contrary to anti-money laundering rules. The case ties him directly to a public official already in custody, raising questions about the origin and purpose of the funds. If convicted, Bodejo could face penalties under laws meant to block illicit financial flows through high-value cash deals.
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