By Abiola Olawale
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly contacted INTERPOL over an alleged plan being orchestrated by the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to escape from Nigeria.
The anti-graft agency was reported to have received intelligence reports that the embattled former governor is purportedly planning to jet out of the country to escape arraignment on a 19-count charge for alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds of about N80.2billion.
A source knowledgeable about the matter said the EFCC reportedly contacted the INTERPOL in three North African countries of Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria to watch list Bello.
According to the source, the EFCC received credible intelligence that the former governor might be planning to escape Nigeria through Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, respectively.
The watch list was said to have been activated ahead of the July 17th expected appearance of the former governor before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Speaking about the situation, a source said: “Ahead of the next hearing of the case, EFCC has activated many options, including taking concrete action to watch-list Bello in North Africa.
“We are aware of a botched exit to Morocco via Cameroon. We are determined to stop him from going into exile.
“From Singapore, the EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede was in Tunisia where he delivered a paper at a session on illicit financial flows. Thereafter, he had a meeting with all the Heads of INTERPOL in North Africa on the intelligence of the ex-governor.
“He formally asked INTERPOL to place Bello on Red Alert in all North African countries and it was accepted.
“The watch list has taken immediate effect. He will be arrested in any part of North Africa.
“We took this step because we suspect that he had been bidding time not to be available for arraignment.
“We expect Bello to be in court to prove his innocence. EFCC has to do its work to avoid bad precedent.”
The New Diplomat reports that the EFCC had declared Bello wanted in connection with an alleged case of money laundering to the tune of N80.2bn.
It would be recalled also that Ɓello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large) are being accused of conspiring in February 2016 to convert N80,246,470,088.88, which was allegedly obtained through a criminal breach of trust, thus violating Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.
Between July 26, 2021, and April 6, 2022, Yahaya Bello was alleged to have aided E-Traders International Limited in concealing N3,081,804,654.00 in an Access Bank account, knowing it was from unlawful activity, thereby violating Sections 18(a) and 15(2)(d) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
Additionally, in November 2021, Bello was said to have allegedly procured E-Traders International Limited to transfer $570,330.00 to a TD Bank account in the USA, also from unlawful activity, violating Section 15(2)(d) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.
