A viral photo of Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi, on crutches, is making the round online, but it is an old image being shared out of context.
The photo shows Bello supporting his weight on crutches, surrounded by supporters. The image is circulating on WhatsApp and Twitter.
“Yahaya Bello, a key representative of our youths, appeared this way in court today. He too now uses clutches,” the accompanying caption reads.
“What corruption cannot turn one to doesn’t exist.”
Chidi Odinkalu, human rights activist and lawyer, also shared the photo on his X account.
“Dude – @OfficialGYBKogi– is so silly he can’t even act his part in the script for #TheCrippledLion,” Odinkalu tweeted.
The circulating photograph comes a day after a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama granted Bello bail of N500 million.
Bello has been charged with alleged criminal breach of trust amounting to N110,446,470,089, contrary to sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap.89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, and punishable under section 312 of the same law.
Thursday was Bello’s latest appearance in court. The case was subsequently adjourned to January 29, 2025.
This means the caption saying Bello appeared in court on Friday is false.
On April 3, 2018, Kingsley Fanwo, Bello’s then-director–general of media and publicity, issued a statement saying the former governor fell off while alighting from his official vehicle and injured his left foot.
Fanwo said the incident happened at the old market area in Lokoja when Bello was waiting to receive Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, at the time.
A reverse image search of the picture showed that it appeared on the internet as far back as April 4, 2018, a day after his accident was reported.
A news report said the photo was taken in Abuja shortly after a meeting between the All Progressives Congress governors and the party’s national working committee (APC NCW) on April 4, 2018.
