The former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is still wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Beyond Boders reports that it has been 107 days since the EFCC declared him wanted on April 18, 2024, for an alleged money laundering case involving over N80 billion.
The EFCC attempted to arrest Bello on April 17, 2024, at his residence in Abuja, but they were stopped by a group of armed men and some policemen.
The current governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, also came to the scene and helped Bello leave the location.
A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier issued an arrest warrant for Bello, along with three other suspects. They were supposed to appear before the court on charges related to money laundering. However, the EFCC could not arrest Bello, which delayed the court case.
There were claims that Bello was hiding in the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, while other reports suggested he had left the country.
Despite the ongoing manhunt, Bello has not turned himself in. Some critics, like Okechukwu Nwanguma, believe the EFCC is not serious about arresting him.
“If they truly wanted to arrest Yahaya Bello, they would have arrested him. If this was a case of a poor man, they would have easily arrested him” Nwanguma said in an interview with newsmen.
However, the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, has denied any claims that the agency is not committed to arresting Bello. He insisted that Bello remains wanted and that legal processes are ongoing in court.
