The former Governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello has surrendered to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after almost six months of shunning the agency and resisting arrest.
Spokesman to the former Governor, Mr Michael Ohiare said in a statement on Wednesday that Bello took the decision to surrender to the EFCC after consultations with his family, legal team and political associates.
Ohiare said that it is the expectation of the Bello’s media team that the EFFC would be professional in dealing with the former Governor by respecting his fundamental human rights as a citizen of Nigeria.
“It is our hope that the Commission will be as professional as necessary and respect his fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Bello’s decision follows the adjournment of his alleged money laundering case before Justice Emeka Nwite’s of the Federal High Court to September 25.
The anti graft agency is charging Bello with a 19-count charge of money laundering to the tune of ₦80 billion.
The EFCC attempted to arrest the former Kogi strong man on April 17 but he was whisked away from after hours of stand off.
As a consequence of the failed bid of the EFCC to arrest Bello, he went underground and had not been found in the public until his visit to the commission today, September 18.
The following day, on April 18, the EFCC declared Bello wanted for alleged money laundering on a post on its official Facebook page.
The notice read, “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 alleged case of Money Laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88
“Bello, a 48-year-old Ebira man, is a native of Okenne Local Government of Kogi State.
“His last known address is: 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.”
In the heat of the controversy, the
EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede journalists that he personally invited Bello to commission’s money laundering case against him which he refused.
“On my honour, I put a call to him to honour him as a former governor. He said, ‘I can’t come,’ claiming that a certain lady has surrounded the EFCC with over 100 Journalists to embarrass or intimidate him and all that stuff. I said if that is your fear, I will make you come directly to my floor. I will invite my operatives to interrogate you in my own office. What could be more honourable than that? Do you know what he said? ‘Can’t they come to my village?’” he said. (THE NETWORK)
