- Bello who sat in the front of the courtroom stood up and moved to the surging crowd.
- He immediately directed his followers and sympathisers to vacate their seats and leave the courtroom.
Judge Maryann Anenih of the federal capital territory (FCT) high court abruptly exited the courtroom due to the unruly behavior of Yahaya Bello’s numerous supporters.
The former Kogi governor faced a 19-count charge related to alleged money laundering on November 27.
Bello pleaded not guilty to the majority of the charges.
Prior to the proceedings, Bello’s supporters overwhelmed the courtroom, causing security operatives to struggle with crowd control.
Many journalists were denied entry to the courtroom as tensions escalated.
Judge Anenih entered to take the pleas of Bello and his co-defendants but departed abruptly, stating she wouldn’t return until order was restored.
Shortly after the judge’s exit, Bello approached the agitated crowd and directed them to leave the courtroom.
With outstretched arms, Bello successfully instructed his supporters to vacate their seats and exit. His followers obeyed, leaving the courtroom one by one.
To maintain order, a smiling Bello sat at the entrance, ensuring none of his supporters re-entered.
The EFCC apprehended Bello on November 26, following an April declaration of his wanted status.