The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed that a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fee.
Olukoyede made this revelation during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday. He stated, “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House. In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?”
He further mentioned that he reached out to Bello personally, offering him an opportunity to clarify the situation within the EFCC office, but the ex-governor declined, citing fears of harassment from an unnamed woman.
“I didn’t initiate the case; I inherited the case file. I called for the file, and I said there are issues here. On my own, I called him, which I am not supposed to do, just to honour him as an immediate past governor. ‘Sir, there are issues. I’ve seen this case file. Can you just come let us clarify these issues?’ He said, ‘Ha! Thank you, my brother. I know, but I can’t come. There’s one lady that has surrounded EFCC with over 100 people to come and embarrass me and intimidate me,’” Olukoyede explained.
Bello reportedly suggested that the EFCC come to his village for the investigation. Olukoyede even offered to conduct the investigation in his office, ensuring respect and fairness.
The chairman emphasized the agency’s accomplishments, stating, “We have recovered close to 120 billion and secured over 1,600 convictions in six months. I’m so passionate about the need for us to move forward in this country. We need the EFCC to survive. There are so many victims that we have wiped tears off their eyes, people that have been swindled in their millions. Every day, we keep recovering money for victims.”
Olukoyede pledged to resign from his position if Yahaya Bello is not prosecuted. The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts related to alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds amounting to N80.2 billion.
Yahaya Bello Withdrew $720,000 From Kogi Account To Pay Child’s School Fees -EFCC Chairman
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, transferred $720,000 from the government’s… pic.twitter.com/a8ZtdKjSse
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