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Alleged false report: Judge threatens to withdraw from EFCC’s case against Ali Bello
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, threatened to send back the EFCC’s case file in the charge against Ali Bello, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to Kogi government to the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment.
Justice Omotosho made this known following a complaint by Bello’s counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, SAN, accusing the EFCC of publishing untrue accounts of what transpired in court on the last adjourned date on its website against his client.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the anti-graft agency filed the charges in 2022, accusing Bello and Dauda Sulaiman of fraud involving alleged diversion of funds from the Kogi State Government coffers.
While Bello is the 1st defendant, Sulaiman is the 2nd defendant in the 10-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022.
Aliyu had told the court that he had a complaint to make on his client’s behalf.
He said: “the prosecutor is subjecting my client (Bello) to mob justice by making publications” that were allegedly untrue.
The lawyer alleged that the publication, which was on EFCC’s website, was distributed to other social media.
“They (EFCC) said the 1st defendant made a payment of the house at Ikogosi Close in Maitama District and after he discovered that the house was under investigation by EFCC, he now returned the documents back,” Aliyu said.
He said his client told him that he did not buy the property contrary to the allegation.
The lawyer, who gave a copy of the printout to the court, also said that a copy had already been served on the commission’s counsel.
“What is your reaction counsel,” Justice Omotosho asked EFCC’s lawyer, Abbas Muhammed.
Responding after he went through the copy, Muhammed said he could not verify the authenticity at the moment.
“I have seen the publication. At this point my lord, I cannot verify. I will have to verify with the media team,” he said.
The judge then gave him the go-ahead to verify and report back to the court in the next adjourned date.
“I want to say this, on the reportage of this proceedings. I won’t take it if it continues this way.
“I am going to take all your files and send back to the CJ for reassignment.
“It is not only against the defendant but against the court,” the judge said.
Justice Omotosho said writing fictitious stories about court proceedings might make the public lose confidence in the court.
He said such action borders on the integrity of the court.
“Now that this report is online, and if I now hold otherwise, how will the society sees it?
“You create wrong impression in the society.
“I can’t be put in the public for analysis on what happens in court.
“You have to go and report back. This is annoying,” the judge said.
Justice Omotosho, who acknowledged the presence of accredited journalists in court, emphasised on the need for accurate reportage of what transpired in court.
He likened it to the case of Rivers matter where some social media users attacked the court for its judgment which ruled in favour of Martins Amaewhule-led lawmakers after Gov. Siminalayi Fubara voluntarily withdrew his counter affidavit in the suit.
“I have had so much from social media.
“The day the Rivers matter was heard and the counsel applied to withdraw their application, I stood the matter down for one hour and 30 minutes to give the counsel the opportunity to consult, before he finally withdrew their counter affidavit,” he said.
Justice Omotosho said it was however a different arguments on social media as some were saying that the judge did not consider the application filed by Fubara in arriving at the decision.
“Let us stop this because it affects the integrity of the system,” he said.
Earlier, the EFCC lawyer, Muhammed, informed the court that the matter was slated for continuation of trial and that their 11th witness was in court.
Segun Adeleke, the 11th prosecution witness (PW-11) and the General Manager of EFAB Properties Ltd, was led in evidence by Muhammed.
“My schedule include recruitment, discipline, dismissal and more importantly, I head the team that concludes purchases of houses in the office,” he said.
Adeleke, who said he had been in the company for 28 years, said Chief Fabian Nwora is their chairman.
When the lawyer asked him if he knew a man called, Shehu Bello, the witness responded in affirmative.
The PW-11 said in 2020, Chief Nwora, his boss, sent for him.
He said when he got to his chairman’s office, he met Shehu Bello.
“Before then, they had discussed about a property at Maitama, No 1, Ikogosi Spring Close, that Shehu Bello will come and make the payment of N500 million for the property,” he said.
The witness said Shehu Bello paid the dollars equivalent of N500 million and that he made the enquiry from a bureau de change operator to confirm.
When Muhammed asked Adeleke how the money was paid, he said: “The money was received in cash.”
He said the house located at Ikogosi, Maitama in Abuja was given “No. 1,” on the close because it was the first building on the close and the houses there were not numbered.
When asked if he had any other contact with Shehu Bello, the witness said: “Concerning our personal contact, it starts with the making of the payment. Every other contacts continue with my chairman.”
During cross examination, Aliyu, who represented Ali Bello, asked the witness if his client was Shehu Bello and he said: “No My lord.”
Also, Olusegun Jolaawo, SAN, who appeared for Sulaiman, the 2nd defendant, asked if his client was Shehu Bello and the PW-11 equally responded in the negative.
Justice Omotosho after discharging the witness from the witness box, adjourned the matter until May 7 and May 9 for continuation of trial. (NAN)
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has approved the appointment of new members and principal officers to key state institutions as part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to reform institutions, strengthen governance and enhance effective service delivery.
Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, disclosed this in a statement made available to Newsmen on Friday, September 4,2026 in Enugu.
The appointments are as follows:
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Prof. Gabriel Ajah — Chairman
Christian Mbah — Member One
Mrs. Stella Ekweremadu — Member Two
Mrs. Theresa Onyefuzili Ifeanyichukwu — Member Three
Uzonna Emmanuel Ogarabe — Member Four
Ambrose Nwodo — Secretary
ENUGU STATE TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET)
Dr. Amaka S. Ngene — Chairman
Bonaventure Onu — Member
Barr. Nnadi Eluke — Member
Kingsley Agwu — Member
Mrs. Joy Odike — Secretary
ENUGU STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (ESUT) GOVERNING COUNCIL
Barr. Victor Chukwuani — Chairman
Engr. James Ifeanyichukwu Ajibo — Member
Dr. Eric Oluedo — Member
Dr. Mrs. Gladys Ngozi Okoro — Member
Chukwu Chikaodiri Joy — Member
INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY (IMT) GOVERNING COUNCIL
Hon. Chinedu Onu — Chairman
Dr. Barth Nwankwo — Member
Barr. Emeka Ede — Member
Mrs. Rita Chimaobi — Member
Prince Tony Nwonye — Member
ENUGU STATE POLYTECHNIC, IWOLLO GOVERNING COUNCIL
Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Aniagboso Igwe — Rector
Deaconess Ifeoma Nwobodo — Chairman, Governing Council
Obinna Aleke — Member
Barr. Henry Okeke — Member
Emeka Abba — Member
ENUGU STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL) (ESCET) GOVERNING COUNCIL
Barr. Nwabueze Ugwu — Chairman
Prince Cletus Ajaegbu — Member
Dr. Chiesonu Isiga Eruchalu — Member
Dr. Chukwuemeka Nwatu — Member
Theophilus Onyebeke — Member
The appointments take effect immediately.
Suspected members of Boko Haram terrorists have attacked the convoy of Mustapha Gubio, the governorship flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno State.
Sources said the incident took place along the Gubio-Karote-Damasak highway in the northern part of the state on Thursday.
Damasak is located in northern Borno and is about 190km from Maiduguri, the state capital.
The convoy was en route to Mobbar, headquarters of Damasak Local Government Area, to pay a thank-you visit to members of the APC for their support which led to his emergence as the consensus candidate in the party’s last primary elections.
Sources said: “The convoy came under heavy attack around Kareto community at about 2:30pm, but was swiftly repelled by a combined team of security escorts, including soldiers, police, NSCDC, DSS, CTJF and vigilante groups.”
According to an insider who escaped but did not want his name mentioned, “The incident happened during a thank-you tour by Mustapha Gubio and his team to the northern part of the state.
“It was a terrifying moment for us; we came under heavy attacks by terrorists yesterday.”
He continued, “The terrorists fired several Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) on our convoy, which also followed by sporadic shooting. Luckily, our security agencies repelled the attacks.
“Police armoured vehicles were damaged, but there was no casualty,” said the source.
Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, confirmed the attack, saying: “Police tactical operatives successfully counter-engaged suspected terrorists who attacked a convoy along the Kareto–Damasak Road with an IED and rocket-propelled grenades.
“The tactical team forced the terrorists to retreat into the surrounding bush and subsequently scanned and cleared the immediate axis to neutralise secondary explosive threats.
“The convoy, conveying a gubernatorial aspirant, government officials and political stakeholders, was safely evacuated to a secure location with no casualties recorded among members of the entourage.”
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has blamed the desperation of young Nigerians to sell their kidneys on President Bola Tinubu’s harsh economic policies.
It could be recalled that the police last week raided a hospital in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, after it was reported that at least 10 young men were victims of organ harvesting.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has now accused President Bola Tinubu of making life more expensive for Nigerians, saying he would make the country affordable again if given the opportunity.
In a post on his X handle on Friday, Atiku expressed concern over reports of young Nigerians allegedly selling their kidneys and other body organs in desperate attempts to survive the country’s worsening economic hardship.
He said young Nigerians should be pursuing their dreams, building careers and developing innovative ideas rather than considering the sale of their body organs as a means of survival.
“I have heard disturbing stories about the extent to which young Nigerians are being driven simply to survive.
“Perhaps the most horrifying are the growing reports of young people selling parts of their bodies: kidneys in particular, in desperate attempts to raise money.
“Young people should be selling dreams, ideas and innovation, not their body organs,” Atiku wrote.
He added that the rising cost of food, transportation, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity had worsened the living conditions of many Nigerians.
According to him, reports that some young Nigerians were being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as N1.7 million reflected the level of desperation caused by the cost-of-living crisis.
Atiku said Nigeria’s laws prohibiting commercial organ sales and organ trafficking were insufficient to address the poverty and desperation that make vulnerable young people targets of criminal networks.
He stressed that economic reforms should improve the living conditions of citizens by making basic necessities more affordable.
“Economic reform must have a human face. It must mean affordable food, cheaper transportation, accessible healthcare, decent jobs and renewed hope for the next generation.
“Our young people should be selling their ideas, talents and innovation to the world and not their kidneys for N1.7 million just to survive at home,” he said.
Atiku described the situation as the human cost of Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis, accusing the Tinubu administration of worsening the economic burden on Nigerians.
He further stated that “Tinubu made Nigeria expensive. I will make Nigeria affordable again.”
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