Yahaya Bello and the EFCC controversy

Within the week, controversy trailed the reported visit of a former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters in Abuja.

Bello had been declared wanted by the EFCC following his failure to appear before the anti-graft agency for questioning over an alleged mismanagement of N80.2 billion.

While the ex-governor’s media team claimed that their principal honoured the invitation of the anti-graft agency, the EFCC, however, countered this claim, insisting that Bello remains a wanted person.

A statement on Thursday morning by the director of the Yahaya Bello Media Office, Ohiare Michael, asserted that the former Kogi governor arrived at the EFCC headquarters to honour the agency’s invitation.

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According to Michael, Bello’s decision followed consultations with his legal team and political associates.

He explained that Bello intended to use the opportunity to clear his name of the allegations against him.

But EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale said, “Media reports today that a former governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello, is in the holding facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are incorrect. The commission wishes to state that Bello is not in its custody.

“Bello, who has already been declared wanted by the commission for alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges, remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest.”

Minutes after the anti-graft agency’s rebuttal, the Bello Media Office still maintained that the former governor was at the EFCC headquarters and that the commission refused to interrogate him.

Few hours to midnight, there was a report that operatives of the anti-graft agency, who had earlier allowed Bello to leave after his purported visit in the morning, made a u-turn and laid siege on the Kogi governor’s lodge in Abuja, seeking to arrest the former governor.

Bello’s spokesperson, Ohiare, in a statement sent to journalists said, “It has come to our notice that people suspected to be operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are currently around the Kogi Government Lodge, Asokoro, in an attempt to forcefully arrest former Governor Bello.”

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had in July adjourned till September 25 for arraignment of the former governor after refusing Bello’s request to defer his arraignment to the proceedings at the Court of Appeal, also in Abuja.