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PRESSURE MOUNTS ON EFCC TO RELEASE YAHAYA BELLO AFTER TINUBU CAMP NEGOTIATED HIS APPEARANCE
According to sources, Bello’s appearance at the EFCC was the result of a negotiation between his camp and President Bola Tinubu’s camp, as the president aims to demonstrate his commitment to fighting corruption.
There’s mounting pressure on Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello after today’s interrogation.
Bello had previously been declared wanted over allegations of money laundering and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion. However, he finally honoured the EFCC’s invitation, accompanied by top politicians and APC bigwigs.
According to sources, Bello’s appearance at the EFCC was the result of a negotiation between his camp and President Bola Tinubu’s camp, as the president aims to demonstrate his commitment to fighting corruption.
Bello’s media office stated that he honoured the invitation after consulting with his family, legal team, and political allies, and that he has nothing to hide.
It’s worth noting that Bello had previously resisted arrest and shunned multiple EFCC invitations, leading to a dramatic scene at his Abuja residence. The EFCC had obtained a warrant for his arrest, but his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, intervened to prevent the arrest.
The development comes as Bello faces a 19-count charge of alleged money laundering, with his trial adjourned to September 25.
The EFCC has said it is keen to prosecute Bello, with Chairman Ola Olukoyede personally inviting him for interrogation.
In a statement by Ohiare Michael, Director of Yahaya Bello Media Office, on Wednesday, Yahaya Bello said the “decision (to appear before the EFCC) was made after due consultations with his family, legal team and political allies.
According to him, he only sought enforcement of his fundamental human rights in order to ensure due process, adding that he is a respecter of the rule of law and constituted authority.
Meanwhile speaking with SaharaReporters, top sources revealed that there is currently a lot of pressure on the EFCC to release the former governor after interrogation.
Sources also told SaharaReporters that Bello had been hiding at the State House in Kogi and the state’s liaison office in Abuja.
“Yahaya Bello is still under interrogation but the EFCC leadership is likely to release him, claiming they don’t want to detain him because of the earth tremor rocking Abuja,” one of the sources said.
“There is a lot of pressure on the agency. The Inspector General of Police is also involved and Bello’s Chief Security Officer they claimed was arrested for bungling his arrest was never detained contrary to what they told the public.”
“He had hunkered down at the State House in Lokoja and stayed also at the liaison office of the Kogi State since he went into hiding. Today’s appearance was negotiated between Tinubu and Yahaya Bello’s camp,” one of the sources explained.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on August 20 ordered Bello to present himself for arraignment.
The court had also restrained Bello from taking further action in the case until his arraignment.
Additionally, the court set aside the judgment previously delivered by the Kogi State High Court.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Bello’s whereabouts had been officially unknown since the EFCC attempted to arrest him during a raid on his Abuja residence.
Governor Ododo had scuttled attempts by EFCC’s operatives to arrest Bello from his residence in Abuja.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bello for alleged criminal diversion and money laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 while he was in office as Kogi State Governor.
SaharaReporters reported on April 18 that the anti-corruption agency had filed 19 criminal counts before a Federal High Court in Abuja against the former governor, bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
The charge filed at the Federal High Court 9, with charge FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024, dated March 9, 2024, has Yahaya Adoza Bello as the sole Defendant while the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant.
The EFCC in the charge papers obtained by SaharaReporters, accused the ex-governor of converting N80,246,470,089.88 belonging to the Kogi State government in February 2016 to himself, an offence which is contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.
Bello was also accused of indirectly using one Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu to launder the sum of N950 million being proceeds of crime for the acquisition of a property at No. 35 Danube Street, MaitamaDistrict, Abuja.
