A former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who has been having a running battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N80.2bn money laundering, has been urged to make himself available in court on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
His appearance at a Federal High Court in Abuja where the anti-agency is trying him, according to top security sources, will afford him the opportunity to take his plea regarding the 19-count charges filed against him over the alleged graft.
Daily Trust reports that Bello, who left office as governor of Kogi State in January, had avoided court sessions scheduled for his arraignment for at least five times – specifically on 18 April, 23 April, 10 May, 13 June and July 17.
On April 17, 2024, the day the court issued a warrant for his arrest, operatives of the EFCC attempted to pick him up at his residence in Wuse district of Abuja but the move was frustrated by policemen attached to the premises.
After hours of being unable to secure their mission, the security operatives were reinforced with backup support from the Police and Department of State Services (DSS). They were planning to forcefully arrest Bello when Governor Usman Ododo, Bello’s successor, arrived at the scene.
Ododo, who drove into Bello’s compound, departed after a while. Meanwhile, as he was leaving, reports filtered in that Bello was in his vehicle, forcing security operatives who had been on standby for hours to open fire. Subsequently, the EFCC declared Bello wanted.
However, his media aide, Ohiare Michael, last week admitted that “It is important for the former Governor to now honour the invitation of the EFCC to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear”.
Speaking to our correspondent on Monday, a highly-placed source disclosed that Wednesday has been fixed as another day for the former governor to appear before the court and take his plea, while describing his appearance as “only saving grace and last opportunity”.
“The only saving grace and last opportunity is for him to show up in court on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 to take his plea. The Commission is not perturbed about all his moves because charges have been drafted against him already and his delay tactics about taking his plea could only worsen his case.
“His last opportunity is to make himself available in court. That is the only thing that can help his case,” the source confided in our correspondent.
Further findings revealed that the anti-graft agency turned down Bello’s surrender offer due to the perceived calculated moves of the former governor to compromise the operational procedures of the EFCC by breaching codes spelt out in the Standard Operating Procedures of the Commission.
Bello was said to be communicating with some officers when he arrived at the premises of the Commission who misled him, thereby throwing his surrender moves overboard.
“The EFCC is a highly professional agency with strict guidelines about arrest, bail, surrender of wanted suspects, investigation and prosecution.
“He (Bello) came carrying himself like an emperor in an environment where he is a suspect. Besides, the Commission reportedly stumbled on some intelligence regarding his motives for surrender which could jeorpadise his trial eventually.
“All these made the chairman, Ola Olukoyede to act swiftly and turned down his contrived surrender offer,” another impeccable source confided in our Daily Trust.