The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday clarified the reasons for not attending to former Governor Yahaya Bello during his visit to the commission’s headquarters last week.
In a statement posted on its X account, the EFCC indicated that Bello had employed various tactics to seek public sympathy and avoid proper procedures.
The anti-graft agency emphasized that Bello’s arrival at its headquarters with a large entourage of aides and a sitting governor contributed to the decision to deny him access.
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“To date, Bello is yet to take his plea in the alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges preferred against him before Justice Nwite. His invasion of the corporate headquarters of the commission with a retinue of security details, hand-to-hand cahoots and carriage with a sitting governor having immunity, unwarranted media blitz, scripted sleight of hands unknown to the public and other backend intelligence available to the commission, compelled a tactical rebuff of his touted surrender offer.
“The incident of Wednesday, September 18, 2024, regarding the orchestrated antics of the former governor to surrender himself to the EFCC, having denied being invited by the commission and operating underground as a fugitive for several months, expectedly raised concerns and curiosity of many Nigerians who had been waiting frantically for his arrest and trial,” the anti-graft agency said in the statement titled, ‘Yahaya Bello Must Have his Day in Court’.
The commission affirmed that it would not be swayed by the former governor’s tactics, assuring Nigerians that he would have his day in court.
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It added, “It is public knowledge that a former governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello, had made several unsuccessful attempts to throw spanners in his ongoing trial through some irresponsible and utterly rascally efforts.
“The appropriate place of surrender would be before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, before whom his legal team had undertaken to produce him to answer to the 18-count charges of money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
“Yahaya Bello should be more interested in clearing his name than playing the victim and crying persecution, where none exists. To even insinuate that he was the target of a phantom assassination attempt because the EFCC made efforts to effect his arrest at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge where he had been hiding, is preposterous.
“It is the first time in the commission’s more than two decades of existence that such a jejune claim would be made. This is no more than scaremongering, intended to scandalise the commission.
“But EFCC is not deterred by this, and other shenanigans by the ex-governor. The commission remains committed to ensuring that the law takes its course in the money laundering charges already filed against Yahaya Bello in court.”
The visit of the former governor to the EFCC headquarters last week was mired in controversy.
While the ex-governor’s media team stated that their principal had come to honor an invitation, the anti-graft agency refuted these claims, insisting that Bello is still a wanted individual.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, Ohiare Michael, the Director of the Yahaya Bello Media Office, asserted that the former Kogi governor arrived at the EFCC headquarters to respond to the agency’s invitation.
Michael explained that Bello made this decision after consulting with his legal team and political associates.
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Free the man, let him go, I know what I mean