The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has accused former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, of withdrawing $720,000 from the state government account to pay his child’s school fees, just before he left office.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede made this claim on Tuesday, News About Nigeria reports.
He said, “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, you move money directly from the government to Bureau de Change, use it to pay the child’s school fee in advance in dollars. $720,000 in anticipation that he was going to leave the government house in a poor state like Kogi. And you want me to close my eyes, under the guise of I am being used at this stage of my life. By who? I assumed office here six months ago.”
He vowed to resign if Bello, who ruled for two terms of four years each, is not prosecuted for alleged money laundering to the tune of N80.2 billion.
Olukoyede expressed his commitment to moving the country forward and stated that he inherited the case from the previous EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
He revealed that he had called Bello to clarify the issues, but Bello declined, citing intimidation by a senator who, according to him, mobilised over 100 journalists to intimate and harass him, upon getting to the EFCC office.
However, Olukoyede has dismissed this excuse, stating that he offered Bello an alternative but was rebuffed.
He said, “Do you know on my honour, I put a call through to him, something I was not supposed to have done because he is a former Governor. I told him, Sir, there are issues, let us clarify these issues. I am under camera. He told me Thank You, sir, I know, but I can’t come. There is a lady, a Senator that he learnt she has surrounded the EFCC with over 100 journalists to come and intimidate and embarrass him.
“I said if that’s the case. I am going to pass you through my gate, the special man’s gate, on my floor, you will come through directly to my floor. You have my respect. I will invite my operatives to come and interview you in my own office to allay the fears. He said Thank You, sir, but can’t they come to my village? My director of investigations sent a message to him. We need this institution to survive.”
The EFCC chairman clarified that the agency secured a court order before attempting to arrest Bello and ensured that operatives followed the law despite being armed. He alleged that Bello was whisked away by his successor, Usman Ododo, and met with over 30 armed policemen and 10 Counter Terrorist Unit personnel at Bellow’s premises when the EFCC went in for arrest.
Olukoyede stressed that the EFCC is a sophisticated law enforcement agency investigating financial crimes and would not engage in unlawful actions. He questioned why Bello fled and wondered what would have happened if he had submitted himself to the agency that day, adding that the declaration of Bello as wanted was a result of his evasion.
