In a bid to prosecute former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello and ex-Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika for alleged misappropriation of public funds, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has intensified its efforts.
The EFCC has accused Bello of embezzling around N80 billion from the Kogi treasury and is seeking to arraign him on 19 counts related to money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds totaling N80.2 billion.
Last week, EFCC attempted to arrest Bello at his home in Abuja, facing stiff opposition from Governor Usman Ododo who was accused of aiding Bello’s escape in his official vehicle.
Amid the drama, conflicting court orders emerged regarding Bello’s arrest. One order from a Kogi State High Court in Lokoja restrained EFCC from arresting or prosecuting Bello, emphasizing the need for court authorization.
However, EFCC obtained a warrant from the Federal High Court in Abuja to arrest Bello for his court appearance, which he evaded, prompting EFCC’s strong stance on his prosecution.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede vowed to see Bello’s prosecution through and even threatened to resign if it doesn’t happen. Olukoyede exposed how Bello withdrew $720,000 from government accounts to pay for his child’s school fees in advance.
In a separate turn of events, EFCC questioned ex-Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika over an alleged N8 billion fraud related to Nigeria Air. Sirika is facing accusations of abuse of office, diversion of public funds, contract inflation, breach of trust, and money laundering amounting to ₦8,069,176,864.
The controversy surrounding Nigeria Air’s unveiling during the previous administration led to calls for accountability and transparency in the handling of public funds.
Reflecting on these developments, stakeholders like Chidi Odinkalu criticized the EFCC for selective targeting of individuals for prosecution. Meanwhile, Sam Amadi highlighted the prevalence of paid enablers among lawyers involved in high-profile cases.