Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its efforts to apprehend and prosecute former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, over alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
The senator also praised EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede for ceding 14 properties forfeited to the federal government to the Enugu State government and people, News About Nigeria reports.
Reacting to Bello’s excuse for not honouring the EFCC’s invitation, Senator Natasha said there is a need for the commission to investigate other corrupt public officials to avoid the impression of witch-hunting.
Recall that in a recent viral video, EFCC Chairman Olukoyede revealed that Bello claimed a female senator had gathered journalists to humiliate him, hence his refusal to appear for interrogation.
“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that. But he said because a certain senator had planted over 100 journalists in my office, he would not come.
“I told him that he would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men should come to his village to interrogate him,” Olukoyede was quoted as saying.
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.
Senator Natasha is the only female senator from Kogi State. She is in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against Bello, who is of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
Reacting, Senator Natasha, in a statement issued in Abuja, urged Bello to respect Nigeria’s laws and constitution, given his former position as Kogi’s chief security officer.
She advised him to honour the EFCC’s invitation and clear his name while he still had the chance.
The senator also applauded the EFCC’s diligence in handling the case, stressing that no Nigerian is above the law.
She encouraged the agency to see the case through to the end to gain the trust of Nigerians and the international community in the fight against corruption.
She said, “I was surprised to hear that Yahaya Bello evaded the invitation from the EFCC, despite having served as Kogi’s former chief security officer. As a former governor, he should understand the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution.
“It’s a well-known fact that ‘he who comes into equity must come with clean hands’. As such, I advise him to honour the invitation and clear his name while he still has the chance.”
