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BREAKING: High Court Grants Yahaya Bello N500M Bail Amid N110.4bn Fraud Case

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BREAKING: High Court Grants Yahaya Bello N500M Bail Amid N110.4bn Fraud Case—-The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the immediate past Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, bail in the sum of N500 million and three sureties.

The trial judge, Justice MaryAnne Anenih made the pronouncement after listening to the fresh bail application brought before the court following the court’s refusal to grant Bello bail at the last sitting.

Bello, alongside two others, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are facing trial on 16 counts preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N110.4 billion.

The court, however, granted the second and third defendants, bail in the sum of N300m with two sureties alongside other conditions.

Further reading out the conditions for Bello’s bail, the judge held that the sureties must be responsible citizens who are landowners in any of the listed areas in Abuja – Maitama, Guzape, Apo, Wuse 2 or Asokoro.

She ordered that the sureties must deposit the documents of the property with the court’s registrar alongside two recent passport photographs.

Justice Anenih also ordered that Bello must deposit two copies of his recent passport photograph alongside a photocopy of a means of identification which could be either an International Passport or National Identity card after showing the original to the court’s registrar.

She held, “The first defendant must not travel without the permission of this court and he shall remain in the Kuje Correctional Facility until the bail conditions are met.”

Recall that on December 10, the court had rejected Bello’s bail request citing procedural irregularities in the filing of the application.

Justice Anenih, while delivering the ruling, stated that the application was premature and filed before Bello was present in court or custody.

The court noted that the bail application, dated November 22, 2024, was filed before Bello’s arraignment, which took place on November 27, 2024; days after he was taken into custody on November 26, 2024.

She said, “Having not been filed when the first defendant was either in custody or before the court, this instant application is incompetent.

“Consequently, the application, having been filed prematurely, is hereby refused.”

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BREAKING: Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Silence on Portugal Exit, Accuses Jorge Jesus of Breaking His Word

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BREAKING: Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Silence on Portugal Exit, Accuses Jorge Jesus of Breaking His Word—-The 41-year-old Portugal captain apologised for leaving the national-team camp but said he remains available for selection after serving any punishment imposed by the Portuguese Football Federation.

Cristiano Ronaldo has broken his silence over his controversial departure from the Portugal national team camp, accusing head coach Jorge Jesus of breaking his word twice and revealing the circumstances that led him to walk away from the squad.

In a lengthy statement released on Tuesday, October 6, Ronaldo gave his own account of the dispute, while also apologising to his teammates and Portuguese supporters for leaving the camp ahead of Portugal’s Nations League fixture against Denmark.

Despite the fallout, Ronaldo made it clear that he has not walked away from international football and remains willing to represent Portugal again.

“If I’m physically fit, playing for my club and scoring goals, after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I have always been until now, to compete and win for our national team,” Ronaldo said in his statement.

Ronaldo Reveals What Happened

According to Ronaldo, his initial discussions with Jorge Jesus were centred on managing his workload because of his fitness.

The Portugal captain said Jesus had originally agreed that he would miss the matches against Norway and Denmark as part of a plan to manage his physical condition.

However, Ronaldo claimed that shortly before the Norway match, Jesus told him he would play for approximately 30 minutes.

Ronaldo said he subsequently warmed up from halftime but was never introduced.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said, describing the incident as the first occasion when Jesus had broken his word to him.

The forward said the situation became even more difficult after a subsequent meeting involving Jesus and Al Nassr sporting director Simao Coutinho.

Ronaldo said they agreed that Jesus would publicly clarify the circumstances surrounding his decision not to use him against Norway.

An eight-point document was reportedly prepared, with Ronaldo saying it made clear that he had never demanded playing time, had respected the coach’s decisions and that asking him to warm up without eventually introducing him had been a mistake.

However, Ronaldo claimed that Jesus’ subsequent public comments did not reflect the agreement they had reached privately.

He therefore accused the coach of breaking his word for a second time.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said. “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”

Ronaldo Apologises to Portugal

Ronaldo also accepted responsibility for his decision to leave the squad.

The veteran forward apologised to his teammates for abandoning the training camp and admitted that his position as Portugal captain made the incident more serious.

“I owe an apology to my national team teammates for having left the camp,” Ronaldo said.

He also apologised to Portuguese supporters for failing to greet them following the Norway match.

However, Ronaldo insisted that he believed leaving was ultimately the right decision after he felt his continued presence could negatively affect the team.

He said he was prepared to accept whatever disciplinary action the Portuguese Football Federation decides to impose.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he stated.

Ronaldo Rules Out a Permanent Exit

Despite the controversy, Ronaldo insisted that his future with Portugal remains open.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner rejected the suggestion that he was simply seeking a farewell appearance before permanently ending his international career.

He said Portugal may eventually organise one or more farewell matches, but stressed that his immediate priority remains competing for the national team rather than simply receiving a ceremonial goodbye.

Ronaldo’s statement therefore leaves the door firmly open for a return once any suspension has been served.

“I will be available, as I have always been until today, to compete and win for our national team,” he said.

Jorge Jesus Gives a Different Account

Ronaldo’s version of events has not gone unchallenged.

Jesus previously denied that he had reached the specific agreement described by Ronaldo, while also making clear that the door to a return remained open.

The Portugal coach has maintained that Ronaldo can return to the national team if he wants to, leaving the next step largely in the player’s hands.

The Portuguese Football Federation had not immediately issued a response to Ronaldo’s latest statement.

Ronaldo’s Portugal Future

The dispute comes at a delicate stage of Portugal’s international campaign, with the team progressing under Jesus while Ronaldo’s future remains uncertain.

Ronaldo’s latest statement, however, removes one major question: he has not closed the door on Portugal.

At 41, the veteran captain remains determined to contribute whenever he is fit and selected, even after acknowledging that his decision to leave camp could result in disciplinary punishment.

For now, the focus shifts to the Portuguese Football Federation, which must decide whether Ronaldo will face a suspension and how the latest dispute will affect his relationship with Jesus and the national team.

Ronaldo’s message was ultimately clear: the departure was a consequence of what he described as a breakdown of trust — but it was not a declaration that his Portugal career is over.

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JUST IN: Manchester City Found Guilty of 114 Premier League Financial Charges

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JUST IN: Manchester City Found Guilty of 114 Premier League Financial Charges—-Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of all but one of the 115 alleged Premier League financial breaches, with sanctions yet to be determined and the club expected to appeal.

Manchester City have reportedly been found guilty of 114 of the 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations, bringing a major development to one of the longest-running financial cases in English football.

The reported verdict was delivered by an independent commission following a lengthy hearing into allegations dating back to the 2009-10 season. The Premier League originally charged City in February 2023 following a four-year investigation into the club’s financial affairs.

According to reports from The Athletic and The Times, the independent commission ruled against Manchester City on all but one of the 115 charges.

The allegations covered several areas, including claims that City failed to provide accurate financial information, failed to properly disclose payments to players and coaches, breached UEFA financial regulations and the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules, and failed to cooperate with the league’s investigation.

Verdict Yet to Be Publicly Released

Despite the reported outcome, the Premier League has not formally published the commission’s verdict.

A Premier League spokesperson told Reuters that the matter remains confidential and the league would not comment on the reported findings. Manchester City also indicated that the process is not yet complete.

City have consistently denied wrongdoing since the charges were brought and are expected to appeal the reported findings.

The club said the Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements still to be completed and subject to strict confidentiality.

What Were Manchester City Charged With?

The 115 charges relate primarily to alleged breaches between 2009 and 2018, while separate allegations concerned the club’s alleged failure to cooperate with the Premier League investigation.

Reports indicate that 54 of the charges relate to alleged failures to provide accurate financial information, while another 35 concern alleged failures to cooperate with the investigation.

Further allegations involved the reporting of player and manager compensation as well as alleged breaches of UEFA financial regulations and the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules.

The hearing before the three-person independent commission lasted around 12 weeks and concluded in December 2024. The verdict was then delayed for a prolonged period because of the complexity of the case.

Punishment Has Not Been Decided

Manchester City have not yet been handed a punishment.

The sanctions that could potentially be considered under Premier League rules include financial penalties and sporting sanctions, although the eventual punishment will depend on the commission’s findings and the next stages of the process.

The club’s expected appeal could further prolong the case.

For now, the reported verdict represents a dramatic development in a case that has followed Manchester City for more than three years and covers a period in which the club established itself as one of the dominant forces in English football.

Manchester City maintain their position that they have acted properly and have consistently defended themselves against the allegations.

With the verdict reportedly going against the club on 114 of the 115 charges, attention will now turn to the official publication of the commission’s decision, the sanctions, and Manchester City’s expected appeal.

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