The Federal High Court in Lagos has set April 20 as the date to rule on an application seeking to vacate an interim order that freezes 14 properties linked to Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. Justice Nicholas Oweibo fixed the hearing after hearing submissions from the governor’s counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed (SAN), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN). The court originally issued the interim forfeiture order on February 22, following an ex parte motion to confiscate the 14 properties and firms located in Lagos, Abuja, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as ₦400 million recovered from Aminu Falala.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Governor Bello’s counsel, Mohammed, moved to have the interim order vacated. He explained that in the third quarter of 2021 the EFCC approached the court to freeze Kogi State’s account at Sterling Bank, alleging that a ₦20 billion salary‑bailout loan was hidden there. When the state government contacted Sterling Bank, the bank denied the existence of such an account and challenged the freezing order issued by Justice Tijjani Ringim. Rather than apologising, the EFCC released a statement claiming the money had been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Mohammed further noted that, following this incident, the Kogi State government approached a state High Court, which subsequently restrained the EFCC from taking any action against the state until the substantive suit was determined. He asserted that the High Court’s restraining order remains in force. Nevertheless, the EFCC allegedly disregarded this order and, on November 29 2022, arrested Ali Bello, an associate of Governor Bello. Mohammed claimed the EFCC interrogated Bello and coerced him into providing information about many of the properties listed in the February 22, 2023 court order.
Ali Bello, aggrieved by his arrest and interrogation, filed a fundamental‑rights enforcement application in the Kogi State High Court against the EFCC. On January 12 2023, that court granted all of Bello’s reliefs, declaring his arrest, detention, and interrogation illegal and unconstitutional, and issuing a perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from further arresting, detaining, harassing, or intimidating him.
Consequently, Mohammed urged Justice Oweibo to reverse the freezing orders and return the properties to Governor Bello. In opposition, EFCC counsel Oyedepo argued that the application should be dismissed. The judge adjourned the matter, with a ruling to be delivered on April 20.
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