Gbasgbos dey happun on top di reported visit of Kogi state former govnor, Yahaya Bello to di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters.
Earlier on Wednesday, 18 September di ex-govnor media team bin claim say dia oga don honour di invitation of di Nigeria anti-corruption agency. EFCC counter these claims, as dem insist say Bello na still pesin wey dey wanted “for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges”.
One statement wey di Director of Yahaya Bello Media Office, Ohiare Michael, issue on Wednesday morning bin claim say di former Kogi govnor go di EFCC headquarters to honour di agency invitation.
Dis dey come months afta di anti-corruption agency bin declare am wanted.
According to Oga Michael, di former govnor decision dey come afta consultations wit im legal team and political associates.
“Former Governor of Kogi State, im Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello, today honour di invitation of di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. E make dis decision afta due consultations wit im family, legal team, and political allies.
“Di former govnnor, wey get great respect for di rule of law and constituted authority, all di while bin only dey find enforcement of im fundamental rights to ensure due process.” Michael tok for statement wey Oga Bello post on im Facebook account.
E explain say im bin wan use di opportunity clear im name of di allegations wey dey against am.
Michael add say, “Di case dey been bifor one competent court of jurisdiction, and Yahaya Bello legal team dey represent am for every hearing. E dey important for di former governor to now honour di invitation of di EFCC to clear im name, as e no get anytin to hide and nothing to fear.”
Oga Michael say high-profile Nigerians follow am go EFCC headquarters by high-profile Nigerians and dem go disclose details of im engagement wit di anti-graft agency operatives later.
But inside one sharp twist, di Economic Financial Crimes Commission say di former Kogi state no dey dia custody.
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Yahaya Bello no dey EFCC custody – EFCC
For one statement wey EFCC tok-tok pesin, Dele Oyewale post on X, e say di ex-governor remain wanted “for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges”.
“Media reports today wey say former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello dey for di holding facility of di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, no correct. Di Commission wan clear am say Bello no dey for dia custody.
“Bello, wey di Commission bin don already declare wanted for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges, remain wanted wit a subsisting warrant for im arrest,” Oyewale tok.
Dis position of di anti-graft contradict di position of Bello Media Office wey say di former govnor don honour di invitation of di EFCC.
EFCC no interrogate Yahaya Bello, dem say make e go – Yahaya Bello media team
For inside anoda follow up statement wey Oga Michael issue later, e maintain say Bello honour di invitation of di anti-corruption agency but officials say make e go without kwesion.
Di current Kogi govnor, Usman Ododo follow di former govnor go di EFCC office, Michael tok.
“We reiterate di former govnor great respect for di rule of law and constituted authority, and stress say, all di while, e bin only dey find di enforcement of im fundamental rights in order to ensure due process.
“Di EFCC however no interrogate am as officials tell am say e fit dry go.”
E say dem no understand wetin dis one mean yet, e add for di statement.
Di mata don turn somehow now afta EFCC announcement and, e don begin spark reactions.
Pipo dey question say if truly di former govnor show for EFCC office on Wednesday, despite months of frantic but unsuccessful efforts to arrest am, why dem no interrogate am.
However di trial dey scheduled to resume soon.
For di last hearing for July, di trial judge, Emeka Nwite, bin adjourn di mata till 25 September afta e dismiss one request by Mr Bello legal team to order a stay of proceedings.
Case against Yahaya Bello
Di EFCC bin don file corruption charges of about N10 billion against allies of Yahaya Bello, including im nephew, Ali Bello, and anoda defendant, for 2022.
However, on February 5, 2024, a week after im tenure as govnor expire, di EFCC amend di 2022 charges, raise am from 10 to 17 counts, and name Yahaya Bello as accomplice but not a defendant.
Di EFCC accuse Bello say e conspire wit Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdusalam Hudu to convert more dan N80 billion wey belong to Kogi State to dia personal use, and dem commit di crime for September 2015.
Dis date na about four months before Yahaya Bello assume office as govnor for February 2016.
Di case still dey go on bifor Justice James Omotosho of di Federal High Court Abuja.
Meanwhile, di EFCC file one fresh case of 19-count charges against Yahaya Bello, bifor Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Dis new case dey very similar to di old one, but di date wey di crime dey committed, according to di EFCC na February 2016. E also name di same pipo as co-defendants.
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Apart from di over N80 billion wey Mr Bello allegedly convert to personal use, di EFCC also allege say di former govnor bin conspire with one company for Abuja wey im name na E-Traders International Limited “to hide di aggregate sum of over N3 billion (N3,081,804,654) in account number 1451458080 domiciled in Access Bank Plc”.
Also, di same company allegedly help Bello “to transfer di aggregate sum of $570,330 to account number 4266644272 wey dey domiciled for TD Bank, United States of America”.
As di EFCC lay siege for im domot on Wednesday, Yahaya Bello release one statement wia e tok say di commission neva officially invite am for questioning over all dis allegations.
Bello also point to a court order by a Kogi State High Court for February 2024 wey prevent di EFCC from “harassing, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting” am pending di determination of a suit wey dem bin file for dat court.
“Na surprise say agency wey di main oga na lawyer go dey disobey court order anyhow,” di statement tok.
Also, di Kogi State goment bin don write to di EFCC and describe di corruption allegations against Yahaya Bello as ‘ridiculous and laughable,’ as dem tok say dia money no dey miss.
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