The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign Bello 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, 22 June 2026, filed a twelve-count charge before the Federal High Court against Bodejo, alleging that he received and possessed large sums of cash in foreign currency linked to proceeds of unlawful activities, in contravention of the Money Laundering (Prevention & Prohibition) Act, 2011.
In a statement on Wednesday, the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said Bodejo is expected to take his plea before the court in the coming days as the Commission commences formal proceedings.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Count one of the charges read: "That you, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo (male adult), on or about the 11th day of January 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and wilfully, 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 Bodejo (male adult), on or about the 21st day of January 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly and wilfully, without lawful authority or excuse, accept a payment of the sum of Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (USD $200,000.00) 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 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 20 March 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 wilfully, 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 Nigeria 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."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
According to count ten, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo allegedly took possession of $980,000 in Abuja on or about 7 February 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.
