The Kogi State Government has denied allegations of corruption levelled against the immediate past governor, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), News About Nigeria reports.
In an amended charge filed against the Chief of Staff against the incumbent Governor, Alli Bello, the EFCC indicted the former governor, accusing him of diverting about N100 billion months before assuming office in September 2015.
However, the state Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, released a statement on Friday, refuting the claims and accusing the EFCC of being politically motivated to tarnish Bello’s reputation.
Fanwo stated, “As an administration, we inherited the zero tolerance for corruption policy from the immediate past administration of Governor Yahaya Bello. A few years back, we witnessed a worrisome trend and torrent of witch-hunt by the EFCC unrepentantly striving to force corruption claims on our government and its officials.”
He continued, “For the records, we wish to make it clear that Kogi’s funds are not missing, and that the EFCC is trying so hard to find what is not missing. We, therefore, call on the EFCC to desist from mentioning the name of Kogi State in its ongoing persecution, orchestrated by some political actors in and around the Presidency bent on destroying Bello’s image.”
Fanwo described the amended charges against the former Governor as “false, frivolous, fictitious, and far from the truth,” alleging that they were concocted to sensationalise the scenario and promote a media war against Bello and other government officials.
He also called on President Bola Tinubu to order a special probe into the situation in the state to prevent the EFCC from being “used as a hired gun by political hawks.”
