Don’t stress us beyond limit, Kogi Forum warns EFCC over Yahaya Bello.
” Calls President Tinubu to wade in.
The Forum of Amalgamated Unions of Concerned Kogi Citizens has threatens to embark on Civil Disobedience that will paralyse social economic activities of the country if , the EFCC continue with its persecution of the immediate past governor of Kogi state Alhaji Yahaya Bello .
The forum in a world press conference held on Monday in Lokoja to register their displeasure with the unprofessional approach adopted by the EFCC to humiliate and intimidate Ex Governor Bello in the name of prosecution and interrogation.
The spokesperson of the forum David Ehimony noted that the despicable action of the EFCC who stormed the kogi state House Abuja knowingly that Governor Usman Ododo was there shots sporadically with intent to either kill the governor and all those who were with him at the Lodge.
David Ehimony, who is also the kogi state chairman of Nigeria Middle Belt Forum noted that on the 18th September, 2024 , the EFCC went against their procedure to arrest Yahaya Bello when he willingly presented himself to the Commission, lamented that instead of arresting the supposed wanted man , the EFCC laid siege on Kogi state Government Lodge with barrages of gunshots , saying the EFCC has another motive different from waging war against financial crimes.
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He added that the former Governor Bello who was in the company of his predecessor, Usman Ododo spent over four hours without being attended to but later to be intimidated with gunshots which has become trademarks of the EFCC whenever ex. Gov Bello is involved, stressing that the forum is forced to who is after Yahaya Bello.
According to him the ” former Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello rose to stardom without a political god-father. He became Governor of Kogi State against the usual tradition of riding on the back of god-fathers. He served meritoriously for eight years and bowed out gracefully when the incumbent Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, took over the reins of leadership in Kogi State. In the course of his service to Kogi State, and Nigeria by extension, he might have stepped on some big toes who now want him out at all cost. These aggrieved vested interests, we believe, are playing the tunes EFCC is dancing to.
” In the last three years, it has become obvious that the anti-graft agency is in a hurry to persecute Yahaya Bello based on the following inconsistent actions which have exposed the Commission’s mischiefs:
“The EFCC told the whole world in August 2021 that N20 Billion bailout fund meant for Kogi workers had been diverted into a private account.
The commission secured an order of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to freeze Kogi State salary bailout account domiciled in Sterling Bank Plc over a ₦20 billion loan allegedly obtained from the bank.
Justice Tijjani Ringim granted the order to freeze the account pending the conclusion of the investigation or possible prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“However, both the Sterling Bank and the Kogi State Commissioner for Finance debunked EFCC’s claims as the allegations were totally untrue. Instead of admitting its error, EFCC published another falsehood on its official social media pages that the bailout fund had been returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). After Kogi State Government sued EFCC and demanded N35 Billion in damages, the commission quietly withdrew the case in court.
” On the 5th day of February 2023, in an ongoing trial of other persons in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/550/22 before Honourable Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, EFCC amended the charge to include in Count 1 thereof, the allegation that Yahaya Bello conspired with others, including a Kogi State Government House Cashier, in September 2015, to convert the sum of N80 Billion. EFCC alleged that Former Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello stole money from Kogi state government coffers in 2015, a time he had not been in office as Governor.”
Ehimony stated that the action of EFCC disgraceful because it claims to be an expert agency in investigating and prosecuting corruption cases alleging that Yahaya Bello stole a part of N80bn along with others from Kogi State’s coffers in September 2015, months before he was sworn in as governor in January 2016.
He lambasted the commission that it has to change the date of the commission of the offence which shows the inefficiency and lack of professionalism by the chairman Ola Olukoyode in handling graft cases
He wondered why Yahaya Bello should be treated differently when some former governors who fingered in graft were left of the hook without being harassed, intimidated and persecuted instead prosecution, asking EFCC to reveal personalities behind Ex.Governor Bello’s ordeal.
The Forum therefore called on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to come to their aid. “The same Former Governor Yahaya Bello made sacrifices and challenged vested interests by insisting on the APC Presidential primary election to elect APC candidate in 2023. Without this primary election, Mr President might not have been President today based on conspiracies against his candidature.
“The President should come to our aid in ensuring that professionalism is applied to the prosecution of Former Governor Yahaya Bello, instead of the ongoing persecution as we have noticed the hands of Jacob and Voice of Esau in the scheme of things.
