Fact-check: Did Yahaya Bello Appear on Crutches During His Last Court Appearance?
A viral image of former Kogi State governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello has circulated on social media, claiming he appeared in court on crutches during his trial for alleged mismanagement of funds while in office.
The image in question shows Bello using crutches, with accompanying text stating, “Yahaya Bello, a key representative of our youths, appeared this way in court today. He too now uses clutches,” followed by, “What corruption cannot turn one to doesn’t exist.”
Yahaya Bello’s Legal Challenges with the EFCC
Since the end of his two-term tenure, Yahaya Bello has faced a prolonged legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). On November 26, 2024, he appeared at the EFCC office for questioning, marking his second appearance there related to corruption allegations.
Following his submission, the EFCC filed two separate charges against Bello in both the Federal High Court and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja.
Bello’s legal team promptly sought bail, which was initially denied by the FCT High Court due to procedural issues. Justice Maryanne Anenih ruled the application premature, as it had been submitted before Bello was formally in court or in custody.
On December 13, 2024, the Federal High Court granted him bail of ₦500 million related to an alleged ₦80 billion fraud case, while the FCT High Court also granted him bail of ₦500 million for charges concerning the alleged mismanagement of ₦110.4 billion. Conditions of his bail included providing three sureties with property in high-value areas of Abuja, surrendering his passport, and seeking permission for international travel.
Bello was released from Kuje Correctional Facility on December 20, 2024, after meeting bail conditions. His most recent court appearance was on December 19, 2024, with the case adjourned until January 29, 2025.
Verification
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To verify the claims about his court appearance, PRNigeria performed a reverse image search on the viral photo. It revealed that the image is from 2018, following an accident Bello suffered while returning from Abuja. At that time, he crashed his BMW saloon car near Lokoja while on his way to attend a funeral. He was hospitalized after the accident and was represented at the funeral by his then deputy, Simon Achuba.
Further verification included checking recent images of Yahaya Bello from his last court appearance. Reports indicated that he appeared in court wearing a white kaftan and was not using crutches; he interacted freely with his legal team and support members.
PRNigeria also discovered that, upon returning to his hometown of Okene, Yahaya Bello was seen standing independently and smiling, without any mobility assistance.
Conclusion
Findings confirm that the viral image purportedly showing Yahaya Bello appearing in court on crutches is actually an old photo from 2018, not related to any recent events. Additionally, he was present in court without crutches, dressed in white as opposed to the peach color seen in the viral image.
PRNigeria concludes that the claim that former Governor Yahaya Bello appeared in court on crutches during his trial over alleged mismanagement of funds is FALSE.
By PRNigeria
