Controversy has surrounded the reported consult with of former Kogi Climate Governor Yahaya Bello to the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee headquarters.
Year the ex-governor’s media crew claimed that their predominant honoured the invitation, the anti-graft company countered those claims, insisting that Bello rest a sought after individual.
A remark on Thursday morning via the Director of the Yahaya Bello Media Administrative center, Ohiare Michael, asserted that the previous Kogi governor arrived on the EFCC headquarters to celebrate the company’s invitation.
In line with Michael, Bello’s determination adopted consultations together with his criminal crew and political friends.
He mentioned, “Former Governor of Kogi Climate, His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello, as of late honoured the invitation of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee. This determination used to be made next due consultations together with his public, criminal crew, and political allies.
“The former governor, who has great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority, had all the while only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights to ensure due process.”
He defined that Bello supposed to significance the chance to unclouded his identify of the allegations towards him.
Michael added, “The case has been ahead of a reliable courtroom of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello has been duly represented via his criminal crew at each and every listening to. It’s noteceable for the previous governor to now celebrate the invitation of the EFCC to unclouded his identify, as he has not anything to cover and not anything to worry.
“The previous governor firmly believes within the efforts of the management of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to park Nigeria at the trail of sustainable economic growth and helps the combat towards corruption within the nation.
“It’s on file that he used to be the primary governor of Kogi Climate to put in force an anti-corruption mechanism to curb graft and safeguard that the surrounding’s sources get advantages its family.
“He was accompanied to the EFCC headquarters by high-profile Nigerians. We hope that the commission will act professionally and respect his fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Details of his engagement with the operatives of the anti-graft agency will be disclosed later.”
In a twist, the EFCC countered Michael’s claims, insisting that the previous governor used to be now not in its custody and rest a sought after individual.
EFCC Spokesperson Dele Oyewale said, “Media stories as of late {that a} former governor of Kogi Climate, Mr Yahaya Bello, is within the conserving facility of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee are wrong. The fee needs to surrounding that Bello isn’t in its custody.
“Bello, who has already been declared wanted by the commission for alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges, remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest.”
Mins next the anti-graft company’s rebuttal, the Bello Media Administrative center maintained that Bello used to be on the EFCC headquarters and that the fee refused to interrogate the ex-governor.
“Previous as of late, we reported the voluntary consult with of former Governor of Kogi Climate, HE Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee place of business to celebrate the fee’s invitation.
“Within the remark, we reiterated the previous governor’s superb admire for the guideline of regulation and constituted authority, and wired that all of the year, he handiest sought the enforcement of his elementary rights to bring to safeguard due procedure.
“The EFCC didn’t, alternatively, interrogate him, as officers informed him he may just loose. We don’t know what this implies but. As we scribble, HE Alhaji Yahaya Bello has left the EFCC place of business.
“He used to be accompanied there via the Governor of Kogi Climate, HE Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
“Recall that the case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello has been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing. The former governor decided to honour the invitation to clear his name, as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear,” Michael mentioned in any other remark.
The EFCC has most well-liked 19 fees towards the previous Kogi governor, along his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, for cash laundering offences totalling N80,246,470,088.88.
Upcoming failed makes an attempt to arrest and arraign him, the EFCC declared the previous Kogi governor sought after.