The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, April 18, 2024 declared a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello a wanted person.
A statement and a poster published by the anti graft agency said Bello is wanted in connection with an alleged money laundering.
In the statement, it said: “Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCC for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 Billion.
“Anybody with information as to his whereabout should report immediately to the Commission or the nearest Police station.”
The move comes as the commission says it is contemplating using the military to effect the arrest of former Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello, after it emerged that a person with immunity, an apparent reference to a state governor, made it impossible for him to be physically charged in court on Thursday.
Recall that the anti-graft agency was Wednesday unable to effect the arrest of former Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello, though a Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered that a warrant be issued to it for his immediate arrest.
A Federal High Court was Thursday forced to adjourn to April 23 over the absence of Bello in court. At the resumed sitting, Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinhero, told the court was absent for his arraignment because he was being protected by someone with immunity.
He said the former governor was whisked out of his Abuja residence by the same person with immunity, adding that EFCC might seek the help of the military to fish him out.
It is alleged that the sitting governor, Ibrahim Usman Ododo, used his security cover to ferret Bello out of his (Bello’s) residence when the commission’s operatives cordoned off and trapped him in his Abuja residence on Wednesday.
Operatives of the anti-graft agency had laid siege to the Wuse Zone 4 residence of the former Kogi governor for most part of Wednesday.
The EFCC had cordoned off the road and entrance to Bello’s residence in an attempt to have him arrested and arraigned for corruption charges on Thursday.