Abuja, April 23, 2024 – Ola Olukayode, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday listed many allegations against Yahaya Bello, a former Governor of Kogi State, that should be defended and clarified before the court.
Olukayode, while addressing journalists in Abuja, alleged that Yahaya Bello paid the school fees of his child directly from the account of Kogi State Government.
He said Bello transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fee.
“A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, 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 to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?”
Olukoyede said he personally reached out to Bello, offering him a chance to clarify the situation in a respectful setting within the EFCC office, but the ex-governor reportedly declined to cooperate, citing fears of harassment from an unnamed woman.
“I didn’t initiate the case; I inherited the case file. I called for the file, and I said there are issues here.
“On my own, I called him, which I am not supposed to do, just to honour him as an immediate past governor. ‘Sir, there are issues. I’ve seen this case file. Can you just come let us clarify these issues?’
“He said, ‘Ha! Thank you, my brother. I know, but I can’t come. There’s one lady that has surrounded EFCC with over 100 people to come and embarrass me and intimitade me.’
Bello suggested that the EFCC should come to his village rather than conduct an investigation at the agency’s quarters.
“I said if that is the issue, I’m going to pass you through my own gate, and you will come to my floor.
“We will accord you that respect. I will invite my operatives; they will interrogate and interview you in my own office. What could be more honourable than that to allay the fear?
“You know what he said: ‘Thank you, sir, but can’t they come to my village?, the EFCC boss said.
Olukayode, while listing his achievements, said: “We have recovered close to 120 billion and secured over 1,600 convictions in six months.
“I’m so passionate about the need for us to move forward in this country. We need the EFCC to survive.
“There are so many victims that we have wiped tears off their eyes, people that have been swindled in their millions. Every day, we keep recovering money for victims.” (GBN)
