The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed fresh criminal charges against Bello Bodejo, alleging his involvement in money laundering and the handling of about $2.53 million said to be linked to funds originating from the Bauchi State Government.
On Monday, June 22, 2026, in Abuja, Nigeria, the EFCC lodged a 12-count charge before the Federal High Court, accusing Bodejo of receiving and retaining large sums of foreign currency suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities in breach of Nigeria’s money laundering laws, according to court filings and official statements by the anti-graft agency.
The charges, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, form part of a wider investigation into alleged financial transactions involving officials and intermediaries linked to Bauchi State, with investigators claiming that state-originated funds were disbursed in cash outside approved banking channels.
Court documents indicate that the alleged transactions include multiple cash payments in United States dollars made between 2022 and 2024, with prosecutors alleging that the funds were transferred without routing through financial institutions as required by law.
One of the key allegations cited in court filings is that Bodejo received $100,000 in cash from a former Bauchi State Accountant-General, Sa’idu Abubakar, in January 2022, followed by additional cash payments in subsequent months, all allegedly exceeding statutory cash transaction thresholds.
Investigators also allege that further sums were received in later transactions, including larger payments totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars, which the EFCC claims formed part of a broader pattern of financial activity under scrutiny.
The EFCC further told the court that the funds were linked to state-level financial disbursements and were allegedly diverted through unofficial channels, raising suspicions of money laundering and potential financing of illicit activities.
The case is part of a wider prosecution effort that has also implicated senior officials in Bauchi State, including finance and treasury personnel, some of whom are already facing separate trials over related allegations of terrorism financing and misappropriation of public funds.
According to earlier court records cited in related proceedings, investigators claim that millions of dollars in state funds were disbursed in tranches and later traced to individuals and entities under investigation, including associates of Bodejo.
The EFCC maintains that the transactions violated provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2011 and 2022, particularly rules requiring that large cash transactions be conducted through regulated financial institutions.
The anti-graft agency has also alleged that the defendant knowingly received funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity, an offence that carries severe penalties under Nigerian financial crime laws.
The charges come amid heightened scrutiny of financial flows linked to state governments in Nigeria, where authorities have intensified investigations into alleged diversion of public funds and irregular cash transactions.
Bodejo, who leads the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has previously faced legal and security scrutiny in separate cases relating to allegations of militia formation and national security concerns, although some earlier charges were withdrawn or did not proceed to conviction.
In a related development, court filings show that the EFCC is also prosecuting other individuals connected to the same financial network, including state officials accused of facilitating cash withdrawals and disbursements outside standard procedures.
The Bauchi State Government has not issued a formal public response to the latest charges, while the defendant and his legal representatives have also not publicly entered a plea at the time of filing this report.
The Federal High Court is expected to proceed with arraignment in the coming sittings, where the defendant will be formally required to respond to the allegations.
If convicted, the offences carry penalties including long-term imprisonment and forfeiture of assets believed to be linked to the alleged proceeds of unlawful activity.
The case adds to a growing number of high-profile financial crime prosecutions in Nigeria, as the EFCC continues its nationwide crackdown on alleged money laundering and corruption involving politically exposed individuals and public funds.
Further hearings are expected to determine the admissibility of evidence and the prosecution’s ability to establish a direct link between the accused and the disputed financial transactions.
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