Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has declined to rule on an application by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore President, Bello Bodejo, seeking a review of his ₦2 billion bail conditions in his ongoing money laundering trial.
Bodejo is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 12-count charge bordering on the alleged laundering of $2.33 million. He was arraigned before the court on July 9, 2026.
On July 20, the court admitted him to bail in the sum of ₦2 billion with two sureties in like amount. Justice Ekwo ordered that the sureties must be responsible citizens, with one owning landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
The court also directed that one of the sureties must present tax clearance certificates covering 2023 to 2025, while Bodejo was ordered to surrender his international passport. The Registrar of the court was further directed to notify the Nigeria Immigration Service of the passport’s seizure, and the defendant was barred from travelling outside Nigeria or beyond the court’s jurisdiction without prior approval.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 5, 6 and 7, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Unable to meet the bail conditions, Bodejo, through his counsel, M. E. Sheriff, filed an application on July 21 seeking a variation of the terms.
At Thursday’s proceedings, the defence urged the court to reduce the bail bond from ₦2 billion to ₦300 million and allow the defendant to produce one surety in like sum.
However, counsel to the EFCC, Fatai Erewuimi, opposed the application, informing the court that the prosecution had filed a counter-affidavit on July 22 urging the court to dismiss the request and retain the existing bail conditions in the interest of justice.
Justice Ekwo declined to entertain the application, citing the commencement of the Federal High Court’s annual vacation on August 3, which he said would make it impossible to conclude arguments and deliver a ruling before the break.
“There is no way I can take this application and rule before we proceed on vacation. I am of the opinion that you approach a vacation judge to attend to the matter and take the ruling, after which the file should be returned for trial for this court to proceed. The adjourned dates for the trial of this case are maintained,” the judge said.
The ruling means Bodejo’s application for a review of his bail conditions will now be determined by a designated vacation judge, while the substantive trial remains scheduled to commence in October.
