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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that the former governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello remains a wanted mam.
Recall that the anti-graft agency had on April 18, 2024, declared Bello wanted in connection with an alleged case of money laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88.
Mr Bello and three other suspects, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, were to be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite on 19 counts related to money laundering but the inability of the commission to arrest him stalled the arraignment.
The EFCC has continued a manhunt for Bello, who had refused to surrender himself.
While speaking on the matter, the Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the EFCC was not ready to arrest Bello.
He said the anti-corruption agency has sophisticated equipment to track and arrest Bello.
Nwanguma, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, said, “It is surprising that despite all the hot waves and drama of the EFCC, including the vow of the chairman that he would resign if he couldn’t arrest Yahaya Bello, the man is still out there more than three months after he was declared wanted.
“If they truly wanted to arrest Yahaya Bello, they would have arrested him. If this was a case of a poor man, they would have easily arrested him.”
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Meanwhile, the spokesman for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, refuted the insinuation that the agency had been compromised or unwilling to arrest the former governor.
Oyewale noted that Bello remained wanted until arrested.
He said, “The matter is in court and there are various orders of the court. Senior lawyers who failed to bring him (Bello) to court are already slated for discipline.
“If an anti-corruption agency declares a suspect wanted, all over the world, he remains wanted until he is arrested.
“Yahaya Bello has been declared wanted and he remains wanted. Judicial processes have been instituted in court and they are ongoing.”
