Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, has sworn to follow the prosecution of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, to a logical conclusion.
In a chat with journalists at the commission’s headquarters in the Jabi area of Abuja yesterday, Olukoyede said the EFCC would have no moral courage to go after other high-profile cases if Yahaya Bello was not prosecuted.
He also vowed that everyone who obstructed the arrest of the former governor would be prosecuted. The commission wants to arraign Bello on a 19-counts charge of money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.
The EFCC boss said no matter the attacks on the Commission, he and his men would not stop to sanitise the polity.
Olukoyede said the EFCC needs the support of Nigerians to succeed as he emphasised that if the agency fails, Nigeria fails. He noted that current efforts of the Commission have helped to enhance the value of the Naira and strengthen the foreign market.
Meanwhile, a coalition of anti-corruption watchdogs, led by the Anti-Corruption Research-based Data Initiative (ARDI) has expressed grave concerns over the methods employed by EFCC in its pursuit of Yahaya Bello.
The coalition claimed that the agency’s strong-arm approach undermined the fight against corruption in Nigeria. The group addressed these concerns at a press conference in Abuja yesterday.
The coalition, led by prominent anti-corruption crusader Dennis Aghanya (who spearheaded the anti-graft investigation of former Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen), highlighted what it considered procedural missteps and potential breaches of due process in the handling of the case.
The group argued that these actions have hindered the EFCC in fulfilling its statutory duty.
Kogi Assembly Seeks Delisting ‘Wanted’ Tag From Yahaya Bello’s Name
Also yesterday, Kogi State House of Assembly has ordered the EFCC to vacate the “wanted” tag that it placed on the name and picture of the immediate past governor.
This formed part of the resolutions during the House plenary and followed a matter of urgent public importance that was presented on the floor of the House by the member representing Ajaokuta State Constituency in the House, Hon Jibrin Abu.
In their resolutions, the lawmakers stated, “The EFCC, IGP, Immigration, NSA and other agencies conscripted into this melodrama be so informed and involved to act accordingly. The commission should not allow itself to become a tool of political vendetta, blackmail, or intimidation against any individual through personal grudges, persecution, and campaign of calumny to tarnish the image of personalities from Kogi State, especially Alhaji Yahaya Bello or any perceived political enemy of the characters hiding behind their executive powers to unleash allegations through media for public consumption and sympathy.
“The House condemns in its entirety a statement by legal practitioner suggesting a request that the military be involved in the case that does not constitute a threat to internal security or treasonable felony.”
Earlier in his motion, titled, “A call to end all false, frivolous, fictitious, and far from the truth smear campaign against the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello,” the lawmaker representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Hon Abu lamented that the anti-graft agency had been allegedly witch-hunting the former Governor of the State for a long time.
“The recent reports on the print, electronic and social media had featured various debasing forms of address against the former Governor of Kogi State. Recall that the whole narrative was principally sparked off by the blithe actions, without respect to due legal process by Nigeria’s anti- graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The consequence of this has deeply affected the minds, emotions, and impressions of Kogi citizens, and by extension, Nigerians. Kogi State, over the years, has witnessed a worrisome trend and torrent of witch-hunt by the anti-graft agency, unrepentantly striving to force corruption claims on the state government and officials.
“This is not forgetting the plight of late Prince Abubakar Audu in the hands of the same agency, albeit, giving his dog a bad name for the kill.
“The commission started with claims that it discovered a non-existent fund in an alleged Fixed Deposit Account. By its statutory responsibility and while appreciating EFCC’s efforts in the fight against corruption, every right-thinking individual would hold it a duty to support it in no small measure to succeed in its primary responsibilities. It is also possible as touted all around for those very wary of certain actions outside legal process by the EFCC to caution against allowing the Commission to become a tool for political vendetta.
“It is pertinent for House to further note that the new objectives assured by the leadership of EFCC upon assumption of duty and in his fight against crimes and corruption under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu are to fight financial crimes with due diligence and legal process. These objectives are being eroded by a certain selfish group of political individuals with access to media and investigations in the commission.”
By Ejike Ejike and Ayobami Omole
