On Thursday, Yahaya Bello’s Media Office released a statement alleging political motives behind the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) investigation into the former governor.

Despite a restraining order from a Kogi state high court, EFCC operatives raided Bello’s Abuja residence on Wednesday as part of an ongoing money laundering probe involving high-ranking Kogi officials.

In its statement, Bello’s office denounced the siege on his house as an abuse of prosecutorial powers. He described the EFCC’s actions as a “desperate political witch-hunt” targeting the former governor.

The statement criticized the EFCC for repackaging its allegations, claiming that N80 billion was now alleged to have been stolen in February 2016, shortly after Bello took office.

Bello’s office accused the EFCC of filing multiple charges in different courts, accusing them of “cross-charges, counter and frivolous charges.” They highlighted the curious changes in dates and the involvement of J.S. Okutepa, SAN, an EFCC lawyer also representing the candidate of the Social Democratic Party at the Tribunal.

The statement emphasized that Bello had not misappropriated any funds and had raised the bar of governance in Kogi State. It also questioned the feasibility of a governor stealing N80 billion in less than three weeks.

Bello’s office urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene, citing the EFCC’s abuse of court processes and prosecutorial powers. They accused the agency of being misled into political persecution by “bad eggs within the system.”

They reiterated that the Kogi State government’s financial records were up-to-date and that all allegations were false. They called for the EFCC to be held accountable and for Bello to be allowed to continue his service to the state. CONTINUE READING