Oluwatosin Enesi
Sources at the anti-corruption agency said that Bello arrived at the EFCC headquarters, Jabi, Abuja, with his private security details at about 1 p.m. on Tuesday. “Yahaya Bello is at our Headquarters now; he came alongside his private security details,” a source said.
The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Governor Usman Ododo did not accompany Bello as he did earlier in September when Bello made a controversial surrender to the commission in Abuja.
There are chances that Bello, who has shunned a raft of court summons to face corruption charges, will be detained overnight as one of his trials is scheduled to come up before the FCT High Court on Wednesday.
On 18 September, Bello, accompanied by his successor, Governor Ododo, made a dramatic, controversial attempt to surrender himself at EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja.
The EFCC refused to arrest Bello and instead attempted, on the same day, to apprehend him at the Kogi State Government Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, where he was being sheltered by Governor Ododo.
The encounter resulted in hours-long shootout following a confrontation that reportedly ensued between EFCC operatives and the governor’s security details.
Bello escaped from the scene in Ododo’s convoy amid the chaos that erupted. He is facing money laundering charges involving N80 billion in Kogi State funds at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He has shunned a series of court summons to appear for arraignment since April.
In late September, the EFCC filed fresh corruption charges against Bello at the FCT High Court.
EFCC accuses Bello in the latest case of dishonestly diverting more than N110 billion from the Kogi State Government’s treasury while he was governor for eight years.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft agency has confirmed the detention of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
As of the time of filing this report, Bello is said to be “currently being grilled by our investigators.”
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, later said that Bello “will be detained and arraigned in court as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, a judge, Maryanne Anenih of the FCT High Court, Abuja, where Bello was charged with diversion of N110 billion in Kogi State’s funds, had on 14 November fixed 27 November (Wednesday), for the former governor’s arraignment.
Bello has shunned a raft of court summons to face corruption charges at not just the FCT High Court, but also at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he stands accused of money laundering involving N80 billion.
He surrendered himself to the EFCC in Abuja on Tuesday.
EFCC sources confirmed to our reporter that Bello’s successor, Governor Usman Ododo, did not accompany him as he did earlier in September when Bello made a controversial surrender to the commission in Abuja.
On 18 September, Bello, accompanied by Ododo, went to EFCC to make a dramatic, controversial attempt to surrender himself to the anti-graft agency..
The EFCC refused to arrest Bello and instead attempted, on the same day, to apprehend him at the Kogi State Government Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, where he was being sheltered by Governor Ododo.
The encounter resulted in hours-long shootout following a confrontation that reportedly ensued between EFCC operatives and the governor’s security details.
Bello escaped from the scene in Ododo’s convoy amid the chaos that erupted.
Bello is facing money laundering charges involving N80 billion in Kogi State funds at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He has shunned a series of court summons to appear for arraignment since April.
In late September, the EFCC filed fresh corruption charges against Bello at the FCT High Court.
EFCC accuses Bello in the latest case of dishonestly diverting more than N110 billion from the Kogi State Government’s treasury while he was governor for eight years.
Our Reporter
