EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, revealed this bombshell during a press conference in Abuja. He explained how he personally reached out to Bello, offering him multiple chances to appear for questioning, even going as far as proposing a private interview at his own office.
“I personally called him, treating him with the respect due to a former governor,” Olukoyede stated. “However, he refused, claiming a woman surrounded the EFCC with journalists to embarrass him. I even offered to bring investigators to his village, but he still refused.”
Olukoyede expressed deep concern about the allegations against Bello, highlighting how the former governor allegedly used state funds to pay his children’s school fees in advance, totaling $720,000, just before leaving office.
This development comes amid the EFCC’s ongoing fight against financial crimes. They recently uncovered a new fraudulent scheme called P2P (peer-to-peer) trading, operating outside the official banking system. Over 300 accounts linked to this scheme have already been frozen.
Olukoyede emphasized the EFCC’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s economy and development. He highlighted the commission’s success in recovering over N120 billion from fraudsters in the past six months, securing over 1300 convictions.
“Supporting the EFCC is supporting Nigeria’s growth,” Olukoyede declared. “We all have a stake in our nation’s well-being. Let’s work together to fight corruption and build a brighter future.”
This news is likely to fuel further criticism of Yahaya Bello and raise serious questions about his alleged financial misconduct. The public is eagerly awaiting the next steps in this ongoing investigation.