The drama began with a statement issued by Bello’s media office claiming that the former governor had submitted himself to the EFCC.
The commission had declared the former governor wanted for alleged money laundering amounting to N80.2 billion.
Bello’s media aide, Ohiare Michael, said in the statement that the fugitive former governor presented himself “after due consultations with his family, legal team and political allies”.
He boasted that his principal honoured the invitation to clear his name, adding that he had nothing to hide and fear.
In the statement titled “Former Governor Yahaya Bello Honours EFCC’s Invitation” the media team said Bello’s decision to appear before the anti-graft agency came after he consulted his family, legal team, and political associates.
Hours after virtually all media outlets reported the development, the EFCC denied the claim in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.
In the statement, the commission said the ex-governor remained wanted “for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges”.
He was there but not interrogated, Bello’s media office insists
In another statement, the former governor’s media office insisted that Bello visited the commission but was told to go.
Part of the statement reads, “ Earlier today, we reported the voluntary visit of former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission office to honour the Commission’s invitation.
“The EFCC did not, however, interrogate him as officials told him he could leave. We don’t know what this means yet. As we write, Yahaya Bello has left the EFCC office. He was accompanied there by the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo.
The situation became more confusing when the Bello media office raised the alarm on Wednesday night that EFCC operatives were trying to arrest him forcefully.
In another statement, the office stated that the operatives “are currently around the Kogi Government Lodge, Asokoro in an attempt to forcefully arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello…They were shooting sporadically.
“We want to place it on record that the EFCC should be held accountable if anything untoward happens to him. Tonight’s attack was needless as the former Governor made himself available to the EFCC in their office for interrogation. The EFCC had no questions to ask Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the morning, but suddenly, they were out to arrest him. This action is condemnable.”
Many Nigerians who reacted to the developments alleged a covert deal between the EFCC and Yahaya Bello’s camp.
They expressed shock at why the same EFCC who arrested a former inspector-general of police, Tafa Balogun, and dragged him on the ground could not arrest Yahaya Bello.
They also reminded the commission of how it broke into the roof of the house of former Imo State governor, Rochas Okoracha, and whisked him away.
Reacting to the saga, the director of operations, Organisation for Impact and Reform (OFIAR), Kingsley Ekejiuba, expressed disappointment over how the anti-graft agency handled the matter.
According to Ekejiuba, the matter is another disappointing episode in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
He said he felt very disappointed with the back-and-forth going on between the parties.
“Let me state it emphatically that the Nigerian security agencies can engage any Nigerian, they can bring any Nigerian to book. They have demonstrated this capacity in the past.
“So many high-ranking public officials current and former have been arrested, interrogated and a lot of them charged to court. So I do think that Bello’s case is not beyond EFCC but the question is, who is shielding Bello? Who is preventing EFCC from doing its job?” Ekejiuba queried.
He added that the EFCC chairman vowed to resign if Bello was not arrested and wondered why he had remained in office.
“Bello has proven until now to be a difficult nut to crack for the EFCC, but I do think we have gone beyond this level where we continue to deliberate on claims and counter claims from public officials who are declared wanted for crimes they allegedly committed while in office,” Ekejiuba stated.
He opined that Bello should have been in EFCC custody and should not be the one “dictating the conversion and announcing his arrival at the EFCC like a royal figure.”
The activist challenged the commission’s chairman to bring Bello to book.
Also reacting to the situation on X, @gabriel_bolatit queried, “Why is Governor Ododo giving Yahaya Bello a security cover?”
Another X user OlabisiLaw tweeted, “Nobody is above the law, but in exercising or execution of such law, it should not be at the detriment or violation of fundamental human rights.”
zubidavies on X also tweeted “They should stop surrounding and do what they did to Rochas (Okorocha). Enter through the roof in case you have forgotten officialEFCC.”
ReliableReportz tweeted, “So let me get this straight: Yahaya Bello shows up at the EFCC office, and they said he’s free to go, only for them to storm the Kogi Government Lodge later. This looks more like a comedy than a crackdown.”
It will be recalled that Wednesday’s drama followed a similar one that played out on Wednesday, April 17, when EFCC operatives stormed Bello’s Abuja home to arrest him.
The same Governor Adodo who accompanied his predecessor to the EFCC’s commission smuggled out the former governor from the building where the operatives were about to capture him.
That failed sting operation compelled the commission to declare him wanted.
Bello has been facing allegations of financial impropriety, as the EFCC accused him of laundering N80.2 billion and other infractions while he served as governor.
He was charged with three others, including his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Sulaiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu.
The EFCC declared Bello wanted in April 2024, after he allegedly declined invitations for interrogation.
The charges against Bello include conspiring to convert the sum of N80.2 billion (N80,246,470,089.88) believed to be part of the proceeds of unlawful activity, specifically from criminal breach of trust.
There were legal fireworks as the EFCC wanted Bello to face the court for the alleged crimes.
Bello’s efforts to stop his trial in Abuja failed as the Appeal Court in Abuja ruled that he appear in court.