Crime
Court Declines EFCC’s Bid To Arraign Yahaya Bello Without Lawyers
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday suspended the arraignment of former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, following the absence of his legal representatives.
Bello faces a 19-count charge involving an alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud.
The prosecution, represented by Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to proceed with the arraignment, arguing that the law only requires the physical presence of the defendant, not necessarily his lawyers, for the plea to be taken.
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Citing sections 271, 277, and 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, Pinheiro maintained that Bello’s presence in the dock fulfilled legal requirements.
However, Bello informed the court that he learned of the hearing late Thursday night and believed his lawyers were unaware of the rescheduled date. The case was initially adjourned to January 21, 2025, before being brought forward.
In his ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite declined to compel Bello to enter a plea in the absence of his legal team. He stressed that ensuring fair hearing is paramount.
“It would amount to a breach of fair hearing for the defendant to be docked in the absence of any lawyer representing him,” Justice Nwite ruled. “It would have been different if the defendant had no lawyer representing him.”
The court also acknowledged that during a previous hearing on October 30, Bello was absent, prompting the EFCC to seek permission to try him in absentia.
While a bench warrant had been issued for his arrest, Justice Nwite stated that procedural fairness must not be sacrificed.
“It is therefore my view that the interest of justice will be met by putting the defense counsel on notice about this abridgement of time,” the judge added.
Recall that Bello surrendered to the EFCC last week after months of evading arrest.
The EFCC alleged that an earlier attempt to execute a bench warrant at Bello’s residence was thwarted by the current Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, who reportedly whisked the former governor away in his official car.
Bello, alongside his nephew, Ali Bello, and two others, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu, faces charges of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds.
Justice Maryanne Anenih of the FCT High Court had earlier remanded Bello in EFCC custody after he pleaded not guilty to a separate charge. On Friday, he was brought before the Federal High Court for the new charges.
Justice Nwite has ordered that Bello’s lawyers be formally notified of the rescheduled hearing date.
The matter was adjourned to December 13, 2024, to allow both parties to address whether the original January 2025 date should be abridged.
For now, the former governor remains in EFCC custody.
Crime
EFCC Warns Lawyers Against Charging Clients in Foreign Currencies
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on legal practitioners in the country to desist from the illegal and unethical practice of charging clients in foreign currencies.
The Commission disclosed this in a post on its official X account on Monday.
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The call was made on Friday, September 11, 2026, in Lagos by the Acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, ACE I Bawa Usman Kaltungo, when he received a delegation of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Task Force on Illegal Practice of Law, led by its Head, Moshood Abiola.
Speaking during the interactive session, Kaltungo expressed concern over the activities of lawyers who engage in “illegal and unethical practices,” stressing that the Commission would not hesitate to prosecute anyone found culpable.
He also urged legal practitioners to desist from charging their clients in foreign currencies, warning that such practice could attract regulatory action.
Crime
Police Raid Criminal Hideouts, Rescue Kidnap Victims, Arrest Suspects in 8 States
The Nigeria Police Force has recorded a series of operational successes across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory, rescuing four kidnapped victims, repelling a bandit attack and arresting several suspects linked to kidnapping, armed robbery, illicit drug trafficking and other offences.
The Force disclosed this in a statement shared via its official X account on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
The operations, carried out between September 10 and 12, covered Benue, Kaduna, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Sokoto, Enugu and the FCT.
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In Benue State, combined teams of Police Mobile Force, tactical and conventional operatives successfully repelled what the police described as a large-scale armed bandits’ attack on Ayilamo Community.
According to the Force, the assailants were forced to retreat into the forest with “heavy casualties” inflicted on them.
The matter is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi.
In Kaduna State, police operatives rescued a man and his two sons who had been abducted by armed men.
The Force said the operatives pursued the abductors and engaged them in a gun duel, forcing the assailants to abandon all three victims, who were rescued unharmed and reunited with their family.
In a separate operation in Kaduna on September 12, police operatives also rescued a 60-year-old woman who had been kidnapped.
The police said the operatives engaged the armed assailants during a search-and-rescue operation, forcing them to flee and abandon the victim.
She was subsequently taken to hospital for medical attention before being reunited with her family.
In Anambra State, operatives of the Rapid Response Squad arrested a suspected member of a criminal gang allegedly involved in kidnapping and armed robbery.
The suspect reportedly confessed and provided information expected to assist the police in apprehending other gang members and recovering firearms.
Meanwhile, in the Federal Capital Territory, police surveillance operatives on anti-one-chance patrol along the Kubwa Expressway arrested three suspected members of a robbery gang.
The suspects were allegedly specialising in snatching handbags and mobile phones from commuters.
The police said the suspects also provided useful information that could assist in the arrest of other members of the gang.
Another operation in the FCT resulted in the arrest of a suspect allegedly caught attempting to steal a Mercedes-Benz C300.
According to the Force, the suspect was apprehended after being caught “red-handed” while attempting to deactivate and steal the vehicle.
In Akwa Ibom State, police operatives raided a suspected criminal hideout in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area following credible intelligence.
Three suspects were arrested, while “large quantities of substances suspected to be Indian hemp and other illicit drugs” were recovered.
In Kano State, five suspects were arrested following an investigation into a suspected abortion-related death.
The police said the suspects were connected to the incident and that the State Criminal Investigation Department, Bompai, is handling the investigation.
In Sokoto State, police tactical, area command and divisional patrol teams responded to a violent protest in Tambuwal.
The Force said the rioters were dispersed “without loss of life or injury”, while 10 suspects were arrested in connection with the disturbance.
In Enugu State, police operatives arrested a suspect following a complaint of alleged defilement. The Force said the suspect subsequently confessed to the offence.
The police said investigations into the various cases are ongoing, with the relevant State Criminal Investigation Departments and the Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja handling the investigations.
Crime
Edo Police Probe Officer Seen Firing Rifle During Clash With Traffic Officials
The Edo State Police Command has launched an investigation into an altercation involving officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team and officials of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency.
The development followed the emergence of a video on social media showing personnel from the two agencies involved in a confrontation.
In the footage, an officer identified as a member of the Intelligence Response Team was seen firing his rifle into the air during the incident.
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Reacting to the development on Thursday, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Patrick Daaor, ordered a discreet investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed in a statement that the commissioner had already interviewed representatives of both parties as part of efforts to establish what transpired.
The command also ordered that the conduct of the officer captured firing the rifle be subjected to an appropriate disciplinary review.
The police authorities said they would not tolerate indiscipline, unprofessional conduct or abuse of police powers by any of their personnel.
The command stated that any officer or official found culpable after the investigation would be appropriately sanctioned in accordance with existing laws and regulations.
The Edo Police Command also emphasised the importance of inter-agency cooperation and mutual respect among security and government agencies.
According to the command, effective public safety depends on agencies working together professionally towards a common objective.
“The incident is therefore being treated with the seriousness it deserves,” the command said, while noting that the development would not prejudice its established working relationship with the Edo State Traffic Management Agency.
The police further urged members of the public not to take the law into their own hands, advising anyone with complaints about police misconduct to use the appropriate complaint channels, including the Police Complaint Response Unit.





