The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede has revealed how ex- Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello withdrew $720,000 from the state’s accounts to pay his child’s school fees in advance just before he left office on January 27, 2024
Olukoyede revealed this in Abuja on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 while addressing media executives at the Corporate Headquarters of the EFCC.
According to him, Bello moved the money from the state coffers to a Bureau de Change operator, and used the money for his child’s school fee in advance.
The EFCC’s boss said he was worried at the report of larceny available to the EFCC concerning the former governor.
He said “A sitting governor, because he knew he was going, he moved money directly from the government’s account to a bureau de change to pay his children’s school fees in advance, $720, 000 in anticipation that he was going to leave government house”, he said.
He also disclosed that he made personal efforts to invite Bello to respond to investigations regarding his alleged involvement in money laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo).
According to him, he had a telephone conversation with Bello offering him ample opportunities to present himself for interrogation by investigators of the EFCC.
“On my honour, I put a call to him to honour him as a former governor. He said, I can’t come, claiming that a certain lady has surrounded the EFCC with over 100 Journalists to embarrass or intimidate him and all that stuff.
“I said if that is your fear, I will make you come directly to my floor. I will invite my operatives to interrogate you in my own office. What could be more honourable than that? Do you know what he said? ‘ Can’t they come to my village?’ My Director of Investigations also sent a message to him”, he said.
