The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has strongly urged the former governor of Kogi state, Mr. Yahaya Bello, to surrender himself and answer to the 18-count charges of money laundering preferred against him by the commission.
The anti-graft agency, through its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Wednesday, advised the embattled former governor to focus on clearing his name raher than “playing the victim and crying persecution, where none exists”.
Yahaya Bello in the recent past has made several attempts to evade arrest since April, when he was ordered by the Court of Appeal in Abuja to present himself for arraignment.
In that month, the EFCC’s attempt to arrest Bello was thwarted by armed intervention at his Abuja residence, reportedly involving the current Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, who allegedly escorted Bello away from the scene.
Bello has since been declared wanted by the EFCC, which alleged that the former governor, alongside the chief of staff to Usman Ododo, and one Daudu Suleiman, diverted about N80.2 billion belonging to the Kogi State government.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), reacting to Bello’s attempt to evade the law, had asked the former governor to turn himself in to the commission.
On Wednesday last week, after a visit by Bello and Ododo to the EFCC headquarters, the commission denied having Bello in custody.
EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale stated that Bello was not detained, despite claims by Bello’s media team that he had visited the agency.
On Monday, the Kogi State House of Assembly accused the anti-graft commission of attempting to assassinate Governor Usman Ododo and his predecessor, Yahaya Bello. They said the persecution of the former governor had dragged for too long and must be stopped.
In its statement, the EFCC said, “to even insinuate that he was the target of a phantom assassination attempt because the EFCC made efforts to effect his arrest at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge where he had been hiding, is preposterous. It is the first time in the Commission’s more than two decades existence that such a jejune claim would be made”, calling it “scaremongering, intended to scandalise the Commission”.
The Commission further said that it was not deterred by the ex-governor’s shenanigans but rather remains committed to ensuring that the law takes its course in the money laundering charges filed against him in court.
“EFCC is eager to engage the former governor in the courtroom where the avalanche of evidence so painstakingly assembled can be presented and arguments marshalled for justice to be served to all parties involved in this saga. The true test of Yahaya Bello’s willingness to abide by the law in the criminal proceedings instituted against him at the Federal High Court Abuja by the EFCC, is to present himself to the court in obedience to the order of Justice Nwite. His presence in court is the only step that will convince Nigerians that his touted submission to the EFCC which was widely reported in the media on September 18, was not a stunt”.
The EFCC affirmed that “the incident of Wednesday, September 18, 2024 regarding the orchestrated antics of the former governor to surrender himself to the EFCC, having denied being invited by the Commission and operating underground as a fugitive for several months, expectedly raised concerns and curiosity of many Nigerians who had been waiting frantically for his arrest and trial”, and averred that, “no hysteria, blackmail, sentiment or coordinated attacks in some sections of the media would make the Commission compromise its integrity. Yahaya Bello’s matter cannot define the success or failure of the works of the EFCC, as the scorecard of the Commission is remarkable and undeniably impressive”.
The Commission affirmed that it had arraigned three former ministers, two ex-governors, several top government officials, captains of industries, internet fraudsters and many more, who would be arraigned in due course.
“Every former governor, minister, head of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs being investigated by the Commission would soon be charged to court. The EFCC is not running a circus show. Corruption issues should not be turned into a theatre of the absurd. Those who harbor a criminal suspect should know that the act is also a criminal offence which is also punishable in law”, the statement said.
The EFCC, while assuring the public of its unfaltering focus and commitment to continue to tackle every issue of economic and financial crime without fear or favour, emphasized that corruption does fight back and caution and restraint should always be exercised in responding to the operational mechanics and dynamics of the Commission, adding that, it would continue with its no sacred cow policy, no matter whose ox is gored.
