EFCC drags Bodejo to court over alleged $2.53m money laundering, terrorism financing
By Abibu Shehu Ibrahim
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign Bello Abdullahi Bodejo before a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of terrorism financing and money laundering involving $2.53 million.
The anti-graft agency filed a 12-count charge against Bodejo on Monday, June 22, 2026, accusing him of receiving and possessing large sums of foreign currency allegedly linked to proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) laws.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that Bodejo is expected to take his plea before the court in the coming days as the Commission commences formal prosecution of the case.
According to the charge sheet, Bodejo allegedly received several cash payments in United States dollars from one Sa’idu Abubakar, a former Accountant-General of Bauchi State who is currently in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force.
The EFCC alleged that the transactions exceeded the statutory cash transaction threshold prescribed by law and were not routed through any financial institution as required.
One of the charges alleges that on January 11, 2022, Bodejo accepted $100,000 in physical cash from Abubakar in Abuja, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).
Another count accuses him of receiving an additional $200,000 in cash from the same source on January 21, 2022, also without processing the transaction through a financial institution as stipulated by law.
The Commission further alleged that Bodejo received $500,000 in physical cash on March 20, 2024, an amount said to have exceeded the legal cash transaction threshold under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In a separate count, the EFCC alleged that on February 7, 2024, Bodejo accepted $980,000 in cash from Abubakar in Abuja, despite the transaction exceeding the maximum cash limit permitted under the law.
The Commission also accused him of knowingly taking possession of the same $980,000 under circumstances in which he either knew or reasonably ought to have known that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activity, specifically money laundering.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences contravene various provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which prescribe penalties for unlawful cash transactions and possession of proceeds of crime.
The Commission said further proceedings would follow once the court fixes a date for Bodejo’s arraignment.
