BREAKING: Pressure Mounts On Anti-Graft Agency EFCC To Release Kogi Ex-Governor, Yahaya Bello After Tinubu Camp Negotiated His Appearance

There's mounting unit connected Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to merchandise erstwhile Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello aft today's interrogation.

Bello had antecedently been declared wanted implicit allegations of wealth laundering and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion. However, helium yet honoured the EFCC's invitation, accompanied by apical politicians and APC bigwigs.

According to sources, Bello's quality astatine the EFCC was the effect of a dialog betwixt his campy and President Bola Tinubu's camp, arsenic the president aims to show his committedness to warring corruption. 

Bello's media bureau stated that helium honoured the invitation aft consulting with his family, ineligible team, and governmental allies, and that helium has thing to hide.

It's worthy noting that Bello had antecedently resisted apprehension and shunned aggregate EFCC invitations, starring to a melodramatic country astatine his Abuja residence. The EFCC had obtained a warrant for his arrest, but his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, intervened to forestall the arrest.

The improvement comes arsenic Bello faces a 19-count complaint of alleged wealth laundering, with his proceedings adjourned to September 25. 

The EFCC has said it is keen to prosecute Bello, with Chairman Ola Olukoyede personally inviting him for interrogation.

In a connection by Ohiare Michael, Director of Yahaya Bello Media Office, connected Wednesday, Yahaya Bello said the “decision (to look earlier the EFCC) was made aft owed consultations with his family, ineligible squad and governmental allies.”

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According to him, helium lone sought enforcement of his cardinal quality rights successful bid to guarantee owed process, adding that helium is simply a respecter of the regularisation of instrumentality and constituted authority. 

Meanwhile speaking with SaharaReporters, apical sources revealed that determination is presently a batch of unit connected the EFCC to merchandise the erstwhile politician aft interrogation.

Sources besides told SaharaReporters that Bello had been hiding astatine the State House successful Kogi and the state’s liaison bureau successful Abuja.

"Yahaya Bello is inactive nether interrogation but the EFCC enactment is apt to merchandise him, claiming they don’t privation to detain him due to the fact that of the world tremor rocking Abuja,” 1 of the sources said.

"There is simply a batch of unit connected the agency. The Inspector General of Police is besides progressive and Bello's Chief Security Officer they claimed was arrested for bungling his apprehension was ne'er detained contrary to what they told the public.”

"He had hunkered down astatine the State House successful Lokoja and stayed besides astatine the liaison bureau of the Kogi State since helium went into hiding. Today’s quality was negotiated betwixt Tinubu and Yahaya Bello’s camp," 1 of the sources explained.

The Court of Appeal successful Abuja connected August 20 ordered Bello to contiguous himself for arraignment.

The tribunal had besides restrained Bello from taking further enactment successful the lawsuit until his arraignment.

Additionally, the tribunal acceptable speech the judgement antecedently delivered by the Kogi State High Court.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that Bello’s whereabouts had been officially chartless since the EFCC attempted to apprehension him during a raid connected his Abuja residence.

Governor Ododo had scuttled attempts by EFCC’s operatives to apprehension Bello from his residence successful Abuja.

The EFCC is prosecuting Bello for alleged transgression diversion and wealth laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 portion helium was successful bureau arsenic Kogi State Governor.

SaharaReporters reported connected April 18 that the anti-corruption bureau had filed 19 transgression counts earlier a Federal High Court successful Abuja against the erstwhile governor, bordering connected transgression breach of spot and wealth laundering.

The complaint filed astatine the Federal High Court 9, with complaint FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024, dated March 9, 2024, has Yahaya Adoza Bello arsenic the sole Defendant portion the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the complainant.

The EFCC successful the complaint papers obtained by SaharaReporters, accused the ex-governor of converting N80,246,470,089.88 belonging to the Kogi State authorities successful February 2016 to himself, an offence which is contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable nether Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 arsenic amended.

Bello was besides accused of indirectly utilizing 1 Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu to launder the sum of N950 cardinal being proceeds of transgression for the acquisition of a spot at No. 35 Danube Street, MaitamaDistrict, Abuja.