EFCC to arraign Miyetti Allah leader over alleged $2.53m money laundering

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged terrorism financing and money laundering involving about $2.53 million.

The anti-graft agency filed a 12-count charge against Bodejo on June 22, 2026, accusing him of receiving and possessing large sums of foreign currency suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale disclosed that Bodejo is expected to take his plea in the coming days.

He was accused of accepting multiple cash payments from a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State, Sa’idu Abubakar, without routing the transactions through any financial institution, as required by law.

According to the charge, one count alleges that Bodejo, on January 11, 2022, in Abuja, knowingly accepted $100,000 in cash from Abubakar—an amount exceeding the legal threshold for cash transactions.

The charge read, “That you, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, 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… without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law.”

In another count, the EFCC alleged that Bodejo received $200,000 in cash from the same source on January 21, 2022, also in breach of money laundering laws.

The commission further stated that on March 20, 2024, Bodejo allegedly accepted an additional $500,000 in cash, while another count accused him of receiving $980,000 in physical currency on February 7, 2024.

Count four stated, “That you, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, 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… without routing the said transaction through a financial institution as required by law.”

The EFCC also accused Bodejo of possessing funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

According to count 10, Bodejo allegedly took possession of $980,000 in Abuja on or about February 7, 2024, under circumstances in which he knew or reasonably ought to have known that the money was derived from unlawful activities.

The commission noted that 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.

Bodejo is expected to be arraigned once a hearing date is fixed by the court.