BREAKING: EFCC operatives storm ex-Gov Yahaya Bello’s Abuja residence over N84bn fraud case

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has barricaded the house of Yahaya Bello, the immediate former governor of Kogi State, in Wuse, Abuja.

According to SaharaReporters, the EFCC siege is coming days after the former governor held a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, at the State House.

It was gathered that there is currently no movement in and around the house located at Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4 in the nation’s federal capital.

On Wednesday, a top source shared the photograph showing how operatives of the EFCC barricaded the access road to the Bello’s house.

The source said: “EFCC barricades Bello’ house in Abuja. No movement in the area as EFCC barricaded the house. They are yet to gain access.”

Although there was no immediate information available to the reason while the anti-graft agency stormed the former governor’s residence, it may be connected with the N84 billion fraud case against him which the EFCC is prosecuting.

The EFCC had charged the former governor with financial fraud to the tune of N84 billion.

The anti-graft commission in an amended charge, accused Bello of diverting N80 billion of state funds in September 2015, four months before he assumed office.

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Recall that the EFCC had arraigned Bello’s nephew, Ali Bello, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, for alleged money laundering to the tune of N10 billion belonging to the State government.

The State Government faulted the charge describing it as “ridiculous” and “laughable”, argued that it is impossible, as the former governor was not yet in a position to access or misappropriate state funds at said time.

The state government in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, had on February 7, 2024, accused the EFCC of being “infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of ‘Mr. President’ to defeat corruption in Nigeria.”

Recall that the EFCC had dragged former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja for alleged N84 billion money laundering.

EFCC, which joined Bello’s nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalam Hudu as co-accused, had said it is prosecuting them on an amended 17-count charge of money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of fund to tune of N84, 062,406,089.88.

The anti-graft agency had claimed in the amended charge that former governor Bello is still at large.

Count one of the charges reads: “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,” the EFCC said.

“While ex-Governor Yahaya Bello and Hudu are still at large, Ali Bello and Suleiman, first and second defendants respectively, who were present in court “pleaded not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them.

BREAKING: EFCC operatives storm ex-Gov Yahaya Bello’s Abuja residence over N84bn fraud case

EFCC has no powers to prosecute people over naira abuse – Odinkalu

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has argued that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lacks the powers to prosecute naira abuse.

Stop Wike from using PDP for relevance, Secondus tells party leaders

Ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday, former national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, has asked party leaders to stop the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, from continuous use of the party to remain relevant in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Wike, who claims to be a member of the PDP, is serving in the cabinet of the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC)  government.

Secondus, in a statement by his media adviser, Ike Abonyi, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024,  urged the leaders to prove that no individual is bigger than the party by dealing with the FCT minister who he said is already drowning politically.

The PDP is scheduled to hold its 98th NEC meeting on Thursday, in Abuja.

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The former PDP Chairman urged them to do everything humanly possible and within the law to rescue and restore the party’s glory, adding that the immediate past Rivers State governor is trying hard to create a non-existent crisis in the party to make himself relevant before his boss, President Tinubu.

He stated, “By deviously trying to create the impression that he is in a tussle of supremacy with the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the party and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Wike, who is copiously losing political relevance everywhere from Rivers to Abuja, is trying to give the impression that he is a factor in PDP and holding it for his APC interest.

“The critical structures of this party, NEC, BOT, National Caucus, forum of Governors, Chairmen of states and National Assembly caucus of the party must rise to the challenge and isolate mischief makers and meddlers like Wike and move the party forward.

“I expect the founding fathers and other dedicated members to rise to the challenge and return this great party to its glory by ensuring, as they always do at critical moments, that nobody or group is greater or bigger than this party,” he said.

Stop Wike from using PDP for relevance, Secondus tells party leaders