Monday, July 8, 2024 -The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked INTERPOL in North African countries Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Algeria to place former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, on its watchlist.
The Nation reports that the antigraft
agency took the decision based on credible intelligence. Sources in the agency
were quoted to have said that many options are on the table in dealing with the
Bello situation, including but not limited to storming the Kogi State
Government House in Lokoja, where the ex-governor is believed to be hiding.
The watch list was activated ahead of
the July 17th expected appearance of the former governor before a Federal High
Court in Abuja. Bello is facing a 19-count charge for alleged money laundering,
breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds of about N80.2 billion.
Although the ex-governor has denied
the allegation, he has consistently failed to appear before the trial Judge,
Justice Emeka Nwite on June 13th and June 27th.
At the last hearing, he filed an
application for the transfer of his trial to the Federal High Court, Lokoja.
“Ahead of the next hearing of the case,
EFCC has activated many options, including taking a concrete action to
watch-list Bello in North Africa. We are aware of a botched exit to
Morocco via Cameroon. We are determined to stop him from going on exile. From
Singapore, the EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede was in Tunisia where
he delivered a paper at a session on illicit financial flows.
Thereafter, he had a meeting with all the
Heads of INTERPOL in North Africa on the intelligence on the ex-governor. He
formally asked INTERPOL to place Bello on Red Alert in all North African
countries and it was accepted. The watch-list has taken immediate effect. He
will be arrested in any part of North Africa. We took this step because we are
suspecting that he had been bidding time not to be available for arraignment.
We expect Bello to be in court to prove his innocence. EFCC has to do its work
to avoid bad precedent.”
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