EFCC Declares Yahaya Bello Wanted Over Alleged N80 Billion Fraud While In Office
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the immediate past Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello wanted over alleged misappropriation of over N80 billion while he was in office.
The anti-graft agencies asked Nigerians with useful information about his whereabouts to report to its office or the nearest police post.
The agency said he is wanted for offences relating to Economic and Financial Crimes to the tune of over N80 billion.
EFCC declared him wanted, shortly after the attorney general of the federation, Chief Lateef Fagbemi advised him to submit himself to the EFCC for the investigation of the allegation.
Earlier on Thursday, Governor Ahmed Ododo had prevented EFCC operatives, who surrounded the former governor’s residence in Abuja, from arresting him.
The Governor, who rushed to the former governor house, amidst the siege by EFCC operatives, drove him out of the residence to an unknown place.
Read Also:
EFCC Recovers Over N30 Billion, Investigating 50 Banks Accounts in The Humanitarian Ministry
The attorney general on Thursday in a statement described the action of Governor Ododo as disquieting and a temporal self-help.
Fagbemi said EFCC was empowered by the Nigerian Constitution to invite any Nigerian for investigation.
Also, on Thursday, the former governor failed to show up before a Federal High Court where he was arraigned and the EFCC told the court that it may seek the assistance of the military to effect his arrest.
Bello and EFCC’s tussle has also seen the issuance of conflicting orders by the courts.
Justice I. A Jamil of the Kogi State High Court in Lokoja had on Wednesday restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining, or prosecuting the former governor.
By this order, the EFCC is hereby restrained from arresting, detaining, and prosecuting the applicant except as authorised by the Court, he said. This is a definite order following the earlier interim injunction given.
Undeterred, the EFCC got permission from the Federal High Court in Abuja to arrest Bello ahead of his arrangement on Thursday.
Bello’s trials come about three months after he handed over to his party man Ododo, ending an eight-year stint that began on January 27, 2016.
