VANGUARD
The ex-Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who handed over to the current governor of the state, Usman Ododo in January this year after his two terms of four-years-tenure, has consistently been in the news in the past eight months.
Bello, who was alleged to have defrauded the state to the tune of N84 billion during his tenure, have done everything in and out of the books to avoid his trial spearheaded by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
On Thursday, March 14, 2024, the EFCC had dragged the former governor before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja for alleged N84 billion money laundering offences, alongside his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalam Hudu.
The Anti-graft agency was prosecuting the quartet on an amended 17-count charge of money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of fund to tune of N84, 062,406,089.88 (Eighty-four Billion, Sixty-two Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Eighty-nine Naira, Eighty-eight Kobo).
To make way for Yahaya Bello’s inclusion in the trial, prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court of an application before it for the amendment of the charges against the defendants, dated February 5, 2024, and filed the same day.
After prayers that the amended charges be read to the defendants for them to take their pleas, the judge had granted the prayer, overruling objections from A.M Aliyu SAN, and Olusegun Joolawo SAN, counsels to Ali Bello and Suleiman, first and second defendants.
Count one of the charges had read: “That you, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, Yahaya Adoza Bello (still at large) and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large), sometime in September, 2015 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Eighty-nine Naira, Eighty-eight Kobo), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(b) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.”
Also distancing itself from the proceeds of fraud, the American International School, Abuja had in April 2024 refunded to the EFCC the sum of $760,000 paid by Yahaya Bello as advanced school fees for his children at the tail end of his administration as governor of Kogi State.
Bello was alleged to have paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children in Grade Levels 2 to 8 in the school from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.
Confirming the development in April, the EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, had declared “The school has refunded the entire $760, 000 to the EFCC’s recovery account.”
Going into hiding, Yahaya Bello had severally refused to appear in court in person to clear the allegations raised against him.
Some eminent Nigerians had pleaded with Yahaya Bello to come out and answer the charges against him and that he should not be giving former governors bad name.
One of those who gave the advice was the immediate-past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Sunday, 28th of April 2024.
Speaking at a Redeemed Christian Church of God in Makurdi, Benue State during the thanksgiving service organised by his aides for his 63rd birthday celebration, Ortom advised Bello to come out of hiding and answer his case with the EFCC.
Ortom had said that Yahaya Bello’s continued hiding would bring disgrace to former governors across the country.
“I want to use this opportunity to advise my younger brother and friend, Governor Yahaya Bello, not to disgrace former governors.
“You don’t need to hide. You don’t need to resist arrest or anything. Go there and respond. The EFCC (officials) are human beings. If they are making inquiries, the laws are there.
“I have tried to get him on the phone, but I could not. I have tried those around him but I could not, so I want this to be noted. Wherever he is, if he can hear me, thank God the press is here, he should come out.” Ortom had stated.
Even though immunity no longer covers the ex-Governor, he has reportedly been assisted to evade arrest by his successor, Kogi State Governor Ododo, presently enjoying immunity as the sitting governor of the North Central state.
To ensure that justice is served, some eminent Nigerians have also called on Governor Ododo to hand over Yahaya Bello to the law for prosecution.
A political activist, Usman Okai Austin had cautioned Governor Ododo against being hypocritical and obstructing anti-graft war.
He had charged Ododo to demonstrate his dedication to fighting corruption by taking concrete steps to hand over Yahaya Bello to the EFCC for investigation.
In a statement, Okai had also questioned Ododo’s commitment to fighting corruption, particularly in light of allegations that he is protecting Bello.
He criticized the enacted Kogi State anti-corruption Bill under Ododo, as he accused Ododo of hypocrisy and labeled the legislation as a mockery of the entire anti-corruption system. Okai cited and faulted an occasion when Ododo was reportedly seen “accompanying Bello to a Sallah celebration in Okene, despite Bello’s alleged involvement in corrupt activities.
“This perceived complicity has raised concerns about the governor’s true intentions in the fight against corruption and has prompted calls for him to take decisive action to uphold the rule of law. As a prominent figure in Kogi State politics, it is imperative that governor Ododo addresses these concerns and takes concrete steps to demonstrate his commitment to combating corruption and promoting good governance in Kogi State.
“Despite his declaration to ‘attack corrupt practices and make it impossible for corruption to thrive,’ his actions suggest otherwise.
“To genuinely demonstrate his dedication to fighting corruption, Governor Ododo must take concrete steps, such as handing Yahaya Bello over to the EFCC for investigation.
“Until then, his actions will be seen as hypocritical and obstructing the anti-corruption war.
“We urge Governor Ododo to practice what he preaches and take meaningful action against corruption by handing over the wanted Bello to the EFCC.”
A popular activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju also charged Governor Ododo to hand over his predecessor, Yahaya Bello to the EFCC for trial.
“Ododo, the impunity-loving governor of Kogi State should hand over Yahaya Bello to the EFCC to face trial for all his corrupt acts.” Adeyanju wrote on his Facebook page.
