The Kogi State Government has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of conniving with politicians to tarnish the image of former Governor, Yahaya Bello over an alleged diversion of state funds.
EFCC, ebirareporters.com learnt, had in a recently amended charge, included the name of Yahaya Bello in the suit FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022 FRN V. 1 with other defendants Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman pending before Justice J.K.Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
In the amended charge, the anti-graft commission noted that the former Governor was at large.
However, in a press statement by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, the government said no money went missing in the state.
“Being ‘at large’ of course means that a person is evading arrest or is on the run and cannot be found after an attempt to arrest.
“For the sake of clarity, the original charge is against Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman, Ali’s associate. The offence which H.E Yahaya Bello is alleged to have committed upon which he has been named in the count is conspiracy to convert the total sum of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo) which offence is said to have occurred on or about September 2015 in Abuja. His co-conspirators according to the Count are Abdulsalami Hudu (Kogi State Government House Cashier) described as being ‘at large’ too, Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman.
“In the EFCC’s desperation to nail H.E Yahaya Bello, they forgot their thinking hammer at home, ” the statement said, and further unraveled a confusion in the year the alleged diversion occurred as contained in the amended charge. .
The state government warned political actors to steer clear of Kogi State affairs and desist from their campaign of calumny “as the state government has not said its money is missing, and has been adjudged, both locally and internationally, as top in the area of transparency and accountability.”
The state government asked: “Why should Nigerians trust the leadership of the agency that made such a ridiculous, shameless and indefensible allegation? The Chairman of the Commission should tender unreserved apologies to the Nigerian people for making us a laughing stock in the comity of nations.”
It also called on the President to step in to save the integrity of the EFCC from those “pushing the Commission into a fight that should be left to politicians.”
