The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede on Tuesday alleged that the embattled former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello who was recently declared wanted by the Commission turn down his invitation, citing the presence of over 100 cameras and journalists that laid sieged to EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
Olukoyede said the fugitive made the comments in a personal phone conversation inviting the former Governor to present himself for interrogation 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).
He disclosed this while addressing media executives at the Corporate Headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja where Bello said to him, “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 Olukoyede lamented.
The EFCC’s boss said he was worried at the report of larceny available to the EFCC concerning the former Governor.
The EFCC boss made the revelation in a statement published on its website, wondered why 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, $7,200, in anticipation that he was going to leave government house”, he said.
Olukoyede also said the EFCC, in its bid to ensure the safety and stability of the foreign exchange market, has uncovered a new fraudulent scheme called P to P, peer to peer trading scheme.
The platform, according to him, is operating outside the official banking and financial corridors, with more than 300 (three hundred) accounts linked to it already frozen by the EFCC.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Commission to the economic growth and development of the country, promising that the EFCC would not relent in the exercise of its mandate.
He assured that the Commission has recovered more than N120billion from fraudsters within six months and secured more than 1300 convictions.
He called on Nigerians to be more dedicated to the nation, insisting that patriotic Nigerians should offer more support to the EFCC because the Commission is crucial to the growth and development of Nigeria.
“If you support the EFCC, you are working for the growth of Nigeria. We all have stakes in the wellbeing of our nation”, Olukoyede said.
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