The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disclosed that the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, allegedly withdrew $720,000 from a government account to pay for his child’s school fees. This revelation was made by the EFCC boss, Ola Olukoyede, amidst the agency’s declaration of Bello as a wanted individual.
According to the EFCC, Bello transferred the funds to a Bureau de Change operator to facilitate the payment of his child’s school fees in advance. This development comes in the wake of the EFCC’s pursuit of Bello following a 19-count charge preferred against him.
Despite Bello’s readiness to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja to address the charges against him, he was notably absent during his scheduled arraignment. Instead, his legal team represented him in court and raised concerns about a pending arrest warrant against him.
Bello’s legal counsel argued that the arrest warrant should be set aside, citing procedural irregularities in the issuance of the warrant. They contended that the charge had not been properly served to Bello as required by law.
Furthermore, Bello challenged the legality of the EFCC, asserting that the agency’s establishment did not undergo the necessary constitutional processes. His legal team argued that the EFCC Act was enacted without consultation with the states, as mandated by the constitution.
In response, the EFCC’s lawyer urged the court to reject Bello’s application to set aside the arrest warrant, emphasizing that Bello must present himself for trial before any such considerations could be entertained. The EFCC maintained that Bello’s attempts to delay the proceedings were merely tactics to avoid facing trial.
Addressing the court, the EFCC reiterated the serious nature of the charges against Bello, alleging misappropriation of public funds for personal gains, including the purchase of properties and overseas transfers.
In light of the legal dispute, the EFCC expressed willingness to withhold execution of the arrest warrant if Bello’s legal team guarantees his appearance at the next court date. However, they stressed the importance of Bello’s physical presence for the proceedings to proceed effectively.
The ongoing legal battle underscores the gravity of the allegations against Yahaya Bello and the complexities surrounding his prosecution.