Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, is accused of stealing N80.2 billion through fraud. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission stated on Wednesday that Bello had mocked the Nigerian legal system by neglecting to appear in court to face his charges.
This was said by Mr. Effa Okim, the acting zonal director of the EFCC for Benin Zonal Command, during a familiarization visit to the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Asaba, the capital of Delta State.
Bello and the EFCC are engaged in a protracted judicial battle on suspected N80.2 billion fraud.
The Nigerian Immigration Agency also put the governor on a watchlist, and the EFCC proclaimed Bello wanted after an unsuccessful attempt to arrest him and his repeated absences from his arraignment.
An enraged Okim said that the former governor was being protected by the system when questioned on Wednesday about why the EFCC had not yet made an arrest of Bello weeks after he was proclaimed wanted.
Since the blame lies with all of us, this is the last question I anticipated. Do I have to respond to that question on my own? The Federal Republic of Nigeria is the problem, not me, the EFCC zonal director declared.
We’re all here to ask questions of that politically exposed Yahaya Bello, whose crime has been linked to him through allegations, and who the EFCC has invited to appear and explain, even though for months he’s been acting dramatic! We are the ones who are ashamed!
