The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello visited their headquarters on September 18, 2024.
The Commission also warned that Bello’s day in court is inevitable, as he faces 18-count charges of money laundering preferred against him, totalling N80.2 billion.
According to the EFCC, Bello’s visit was an attempt to surrender, but it was rejected due to his previous antics. The Commission said it views these actions as scaremongering intended to scandalize them.
“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,” the EFCC stated.
It can be recalled that on September 18, 2024, Bello visited the EFCC headquarters, although with a retinue of security details with his successor, Governor Usman Ododo who is immune to arrest, according to Nigerian law.
The governor was not attended to by the commission and has also failed to show up in court on Wednesday.
The EFCC said it remains committed to ensuring the law takes its course, despite Bello’s attempts to discredit them.
“Yahaya Bello should be more interested in clearing his name than playing the victim and crying persecution, where none exists,” the EFCC stated.
The EFCC had filed 18-count charges of money laundering against Bello, alleging that he laundered N80.2 billion during his tenure as Kogi State Governor.
Bello’s legal team had undertaken to produce him before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja. However, his failure to appear in court has raised questions about his willingness to face trial.
The EFCC said it has arraigned several high-profile individuals, including three former ministers and two ex-governors, demonstrating their commitment to tackling economic and financial crimes.
“Every former governor, minister, head of ministries, departments and agencies being investigated by the Commission would soon be charged to court,” the EFCC assured.
The commission reiterated its no sacred cow policy, emphasizing that no individual is above the law.
“Corruption issues should not be turned into a theatre of the absurd. Those who harbour criminal suspects will face punishment, as it is also a criminal offence,” the Commission warned.
The statement reads in full:
Yahaya Bello Must Have his Day in Court
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 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.
EFCC is eager to engage the former governor in the courtroom where the avalanche of evidence so painstakingly assembled can be presented and arguments marshalled for justice to be served to all parties involved in this saga. The true test of Yahaya Bello’s willingness to abide by the law in the criminal proceedings instituted against him at the Federal High Court Abuja by the EFCC is to present himself to the court in obedience to the order of Justice Nwite. His presence in court is the only step that will convince Nigerians that his touted submission to the EFCC which was widely reported in the media on September 18, was not a stunt.
Till date, Bello is yet to take his plea in the alleged N80.2billion 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.
As a responsible anti-graft agency, the EFCC is sensitive to public opinions, especially if they are in tandem with its operational codes and Standard Operating Procedures. However, no hysteria, blackmail, sentiment or coordinated attacks in some section of the media would make the Commission compromise its integrity. Yahaya Bello’s matter cannot define the success or failure of the works of the EFCC, as the scorecard of the Commission is remarkable and undeniably impressive. The EFCC is not unaware of the fact that corruption fights back. Bello must have his day in court, no matter the recourse to blackmail, appeal to emotive public sympathy or acts of brigandage.
Within the year, the Commission had arraigned three former ministers, two ex-governors, several top government officials, captains of industries, internet fraudsters and many more would be arraigned in due course. Every former governor, minister, head of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs being investigated by the Commission would soon be charged to court. The EFCC is not running a circus show. Corruption issues should not be turned into a theatre of the absurd. Those who harbor a criminal suspect should know that the act is also a criminal offence which is also punishable in law.
While the EFCC is assuring the public of its unfaltering focus and commitment to continue to tackle every issue of economic and financial crime without fear or favour, there is need to remind Nigerians that corruption does fight back and caution and restraint should always be exercised in responding to the operational mechanics and dynamics of the Commission. The EFCC would continue with its no sacred cow policy, no matter whose ox is gored.