Yahaya Bello slammed with ₦80bn fraud charges, Kogi govt. kicks�

Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State, who stepped down recently after completing two tenures, is currently facing allegations of theft of over ₦80bn.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claims that Bello diverted a total of N80,246,470,089.88 of public funds for his personal use.

The agency is set to prosecute Bello, adding him to an already existing litigation against his nephew, Ali Bello.

Despite facing allegations of stealing ₦10billion from Kogi State, the said nephew has retained his position as chief of staff to the ex-governor’s successor Usman Ododo.

Other accused persons are Abdulsalami Hud (Kogi State Government House Cashier), who is said to be at large, and one Dauda Suleiman.

However, the Kogi State Government has kicked against Bello’s imminent prosecution.

Kingsley Fanwo, the former state commissioner for information, in a statement, flayed the EFCC.

He said that this “is ridiculous, laughable and portrays the EFCC as an agency infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of Mr. President to defeat corruption in Nigeria.”

Fanwo said the EFCC had earlier declared that Bello was at large in one of the suits filed against him.

“Being ‘at large’ of course means that a person is evading arrest or is on the run and cannot be found after an attempt to arrest.

“In the EFCC’s desperation to nail H.E Yahaya Bello, they forgot their thinking hammer at home,” Fanwo said.