- Recall that the EFCC had filed charges against the former governor, accusing him of financial fraud amounting to ₦84 billion.
The former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, has had his residence in Abuja blocked by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Movement within and around the property on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, has been restricted by the anti-graft agency.
About a month ago, the governor of Kogi, Usman Ododo, named Alli Bello as the target of an updated money laundering case brought by the EFCC.
Ali, and one Daudu Suleiman are the two defendants in the 17-count amended charge. The EFCC alleged that the suspects diverted about N100 billion belonging to the Kogi government.
Responding to the EFCC charge, the Kogi government said funds belonging to the state did not go missing under the former governor.
Kingsley Fanwo, Kogi commissioner for information and communications, said in a statement that the former governor is “squeaky clean”.
He asked the EFCC to desist from mentioning the former governor’s name in its “ongoing persecution”, adding that some political actors are bent on destroying Bello.
“As a subnational in the Nigerian nationhood, we wish to express our utmost respect for agencies set up to perform specific functions towards the greatness of Nigeria,” Fanwo said.
“The desperation of the EFCC to hastily and for glaring political reasons, hound the immediate past Governor on their corruption list is unfortunate and speaks volume on how we reward altruistic leadership in our nation.
“For the records, we wish to make it clear that Kogi’s funds are not missing and that the EFCC is trying so hard to find what is not missing.
“We therefore call on the EFCC to desist from mentioning the name of Kogi State in its ongoing persecution, orchestrated by some political actors in and around the Presidency bent on destroying the image of Alh. Yahaya Bello and Kogi State.
“The amended charges in which the name of the former Governor was mentioned are false, frivolous, fictitious and far from the truth. They are cooked-up charges that signpost their desperation to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it.”