Tunde Bakare
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is set to arraign Bello Abdullahi Bodejo before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over allegations bordering on terrorism financing and money laundering to the tune of $2.530 million.
The EFCC, on Monday, June 22, 2026 filed a twelve-count charge before the Federal High Court against Bodejo, alleging him of receiving and possessing large sums of cash in foreign currency linked to proceeds of unlawful activities in contravention of the Money Laundering( Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2011.
Bodejo, linked to Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, is expected to take his plea before the court in the coming days as the Commission commences formal proceedings.
Count one of the charges read: “That you, BELLO ABDULLAHI BODEJO (mele adult), on or about the 11th day of January 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and willfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a payment of the sum of One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (USD $100,000) in physical currency from one SA’IDU ABUBAKAR, a former Accountant-General Bauchi State who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigerian Police Force, which exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of Five Million Naira GN5,000,000.00) prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”
Count two reads: “That you, BELLO ABDULLAHI BODEIO (male adult), on or about the 21st day of January 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and willfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a payment of the sum of Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (USD $200,00) in physical currency from one SA’IDU ABUBAKAR, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigerian Police Force, which exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of Five Million Naira GN5,000,000.00) prescribed under Section 1(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”
Another count alleges that on March 20, 2024, Bodejo received $500,000 in physical cash from the same source, an amount said to have exceeded the legal cash transaction threshold prescribed under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count four reads, “That you, BELLO ABDULLAHI BODEJO (male adult), on or about the 7th day of February 2024, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and willfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a cash payment of the sum of Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand United States Dollars (USD $980,000.00) in physical currency from one SA’IDU ABUBAKAR, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in the lawful custody of the Nigerian Police Force which sum exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold of Five Million Naira (5,000,000.00) prescribed under Section 2(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2 )(b) of the same Act.”
According to count ten, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo allegedly took possession of $980,000 in Abuja on or about February 7, 2024, under circumstances in which he either knew, or reasonably ought to have known, that the funds were proceeds of unlawful activity, specifically money laundering. The conduct allegedly constitutes an offence under Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
All the alleged offences are punishable under various provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Further proceedings are expected to follow as the Commission awaits the arraignment date.