Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. The drama surrounding the former governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello is an indication that there is a skeleton in his cardboard .
The way and manner the 48-year-old politician is dogging to appear before the court and answer the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) invitation for an allegation of misappropriation amounting to 8.2 billion naira Kogi State Fund left so many questions answered.
The EFCC’s unsuccessful recent attempt to arrest the former governor from his Abuja residence forced the commission to declare him wanted.
The EFCC notice posted on its official Facebook page on Thursday 18th of April 2023 indicated that the Anti-graft agency is looking for the former governor for the allegation of diverting 80,246,470,088.88.
“The public is hereby notified that Yahaya Adoza Bello (former Governor of Kogi State ), whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in connection with an alleged case of Money laundering to the tune of 80,246,470,088.88(Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and forty-Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty-eight Naira, eight Kobo).Bello, a 48-year-old Ebira man, is a native of Okene Local Government of Kogi State. His last known address is 9, BenGhazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the commission” the notice stated.
Bello had on Thursday 18th April failed to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja following his arraignment by the EFCC.
The former governor was arraigned in absentia before Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three other suspects. Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu on 19 -count charges bordering on money laundering.
Bello on Another Watch List
Following the EFCC’s declaration of Yahaya Bello as wanted, the former Kogi State governor has also been placed on the watchlist of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
This was contained in a notice from NIS signed by the Assistant Comptroller of Immigration DS Umar on behalf of the Comptroller General of Immigration.
The notice is addressed to the Director General Department of State Service, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General National Intelligence Agency, SCGi/c(PRS), all Zonal Coordinators, and all Control posts.
The notice also revealed the International Passport number B50083321 of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello.
“I am directed to inform you that the above-named has been placed on the watchlist.Suffice to mention that the subject is being prosecuted in the Federal High Court Abuja for conspiracy, breach of Trust, and Money laundering “the notice stated.
It also explained that it was a reference to a letter received by the NIS dated 18 April 2024 from the EFCC. It instructed that if seen at any entry or exit point, he should be arrested and referred to the Director of Investigation.
Withdrawal of Security guards
On Thursday night 18th of April 2024, the Inspector General of Nigerian Police Egbetokun had ordered the Withdrawal of all police officers attached to Bello.
“Police attached to His Excellency and former governor of Kogi State Alhaji Yahaya Bello, should acknowledge compliance and treat with utmost importance. Please above for your information and strict compliance,” the police signal stated.
It could be recalled that on the same Thursday the incumbent governor of Kogi State Usman Ododo rescued his predecessor Yahaya Bello from the EFCC’s arrest at the time its men sieged the residence of Bello in Abuja.This action of the Kogi governor received several backlash from Nigerians who consider it as aiding impunity.
Bello’s Media Office respond
The former governor’s media office in swift response to the issue, described the whole matter as a political attempt to embarrass Yahaya Bello.
“The attention of the media Office of Yahaya Bello has again been drawn to another chapter in the series of the ongoing prescription of the former Governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Having failed woefully to achieve their motive of national embarrassment with critical questions that greeted their earlier allegations that the former governor converted over 80 billion Kogi State funds to personal use in September 2015, even before he became governor, masterminds of this unending persecution have hurriedly repackaged their script, this time dragging the name of the EFCC further in the mud.
In a miscalculated bid to satisfy their paymasters at all costs, some desperate politicians have pushed the EFCC to approach another Federal High Court in Abuja, with the same set of questionable allegations without waiting for the determination of the two preceding cases they have filed in two different courts simultaneously.
In this particular one, they tried to correct their initial blunder by saying that about 80 billion naira was now stolen in February 2016, arguably less than three weeks after he assumed office for the first time as Governor of Kogi State on January 27, 2016.
Looking at the curious and endless scenarios of duplicated charges, cross-charges, counter, and frivolous charges, it has become crystal clear that the whole onslaught is nothing but a desperate political witch-hunt of the immediate past Governor.
We want to draw the attention of the President to the fact that the abuse of court process and prosecutorial powers by the EFCC is assuming a dangerous dimension that the head of the commission might not even have paid attention to. We still want to assume that he is being misled into political persecution, rather than diligent persecution by bad eggs within the system, working with criminals masquerading as politicians.
The desperation to nail a man who has done nothing but raise the bar of governance in his state and provide visible dividends of democracy to all, irrespective of religious or ethnic leaning, has beclouded the rational thinking of masterminds and pushed them into a consistent pattern of raising extremely frivolous and indefensible allegations against their target” Yayah Bello’s Media office stated.
Shielding Bello from arrest :The Kogi Assembly should impeach Ododo
Barrister Deji is a human rights lawyer. He urged the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Umar Yusuf, to begin impeachment Proceedings against the Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, over allegations of misconduct and abuse of office.
He made the call in a letter addressed to the speaker, through the clerk of the House on Friday 19th of April 2024.
According to the legal practitioner, the use of the governor’s motorcade to ferry away the embattled former governor of the state, Yahaya Bello amounted to the harboring of a fugitive, obstruction of justice, and the misuse of state resources.
The lawyer also called on the assembly to cooperate with the EFCC and ensure all individuals involved are available for questioning and investigations.
“In the light of the above allegations and the inherent potential breaches of statutory duties imposed by the Constitution and other relevant laws of our country, this action, if proven true, amounts to gross misconduct and warrants immediate investigation and commencement of impeachment Proceedings.
I am here by calling on the Kogi State House of Assembly under your leadership to initiate a thorough inquiry into these allegations by section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution, to ascertain the truth, and to hold Governor Usman Ododo accountable if the allegations are found to be true.
I also urge the Kogi State House of Assembly to cooperate with national law enforcement agencies including EFCC, to ensure all individuals involved are available for questioning and to facilitate a smooth investigation, “he said.
He further implored the House of Assembly to take swift and decisive actions, noting the effect of the” misgovernance implied in this allegation” on the people of the state.
“I thank you as I look forward to your urgent attention to this issue. I trust in your commitment to uphold the Constitution and the laws of our land for the betterment of our state and its people “the letter also read.
Kogi State Assembly’s reactions to the impeachment agitation
Mohammed Yabagi is the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly. He said neither the speaker nor the Clerk had received such a letter.The spokesperson stated this in an interview with Punch newspaper.
Yabagi added that the House had not seen any valid reasons to begin the impeachment process against the governor and that there was no evidence that the governor prevented security agencies from arresting Yahaya Bello.
“Anybody in the public has their perception of the matter But the House has not seen any reason, none of the members of the House were there, and none of them saw the governor trying to prevent the security agencies from doing their job. As far as the Assembly supports all constitutionally recognized security agencies. We have not seen any reason why the House should commence any impeachment process.” He stated.
“For context, as far as the Executive is concerned, the immediate past governor was not even at his Abuja residence, and there is no concrete evidence that the Executive Governor prevented them from doing their constitutionally recognized job. The House is yet to receive such a letter and the speaker is yet to have any knowledge of such a letter” he said.
Governor Ododo is committed to upholding the laws of Nigeria
Kingsley Fanwo is the Kogi State Commissioner for Information. He debunked the reports that Ododo helped Bello, beat security operatives who wanted to arrest him.
Fanwo stated this in an interview with Channel TV on Thursday 18th of April. The commissioner said that Governor Usman Ododo is committed to upholding the laws of the country, including respecting its legal process.
“Governor Ododo did not assist in Bello’s departure from his residence; the EFCC claims are misinformation aimed at furthering their objectives. Bello is not evading anyone, the existing court injunction protects his fundamental rights ” he said
To conclude this piece is to call the attention of the serving Nigerian governors to learn a lesson from this issue of Yahaya Bello who recently handed over power in Kogi State, now with no immunity to protect him, the Police and DSS withdrew their operatives guarding him.
He was also declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC in addition to his placement on the Nigerian Immigration watch list. Now he can not travel freely as a citizen besides partaking in foreign trips.
Governors should know that the power they are enjoying is limited to just four or eight years. So they need to manage public funds with fear of God and all sincerity to avoid finding themselves in such trouble after leaving office.
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