The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, wanted for alleged N80.2 billion fraud charges.
The anti-graft Agency made this declaration on its official Facebook page on Thursday, April 18 shortly after court proceedings. Bello is wanted for offences relating to money laundering.
The statement reads:
“Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCC for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 billion.
“Anybody with information as to his whereabout should report immediately to the commission or the nearest police station.”
News Central reported on Wednesday that operatives of the EFCC launched a blockade at the former governor’s Abuja home in Wuse with intentions to arrest and have him appear in court on Thursday.
However, the mission was not accomplished as the current Kogi Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo had Bello driven out of the residence in his private vehicle.
Federal High Court Adjourns Bello’s Case to Tuesday, April 23.
The Federal high court sitting in Abuja on Thursday, adjourned Bello’s money laundering case to April 23 through substituted means, after EFCC failed to produce him in court.
Attorney General Fagbemi Urges Yahaya Bello to Surrender to the EFCC
Following EFCC’s declaration of Bello on the wanted list, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi advised Bello to surrender to the EFCC to avoid disrupting the process of investigations.
Fagbemi said the EFCC had legal authority to summon any individual for investigation, regardless of their position or status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism that can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world,” he stated.