Kogi State government has stated its position regarding the sum of N80, 000,000,000.000 (Eighty Billion Naira) allegedly diverted by the immediate past governor of the State, Yahaya Bello few years ago.
The funds, according to EFCC were allegedly diverted from the state’s treasury in September 2015, four months before he assumed office.
Kingsley Fanwo, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications said in a statement, which he described as “infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of ‘Mr. President’ to defeat corruption in Nigeria’.
Fanwo said, the EFCC’s desperation to nail H.E Yahaya Bello, and ‘forgot their thinking hammer at home’. According to him, “The count of the offence is most laughable as the election that produced H.E Yahaya Bello, as Governor of Kogi was only conducted in November 2015.
Part of the statement said, “Indeed, H.E. Captain Idris Wada of the PDP held sway as Governor of Kogi State at the material time until he handed over to H.E Yahaya Bello on January 27, 2016.
“H.E Yahaya Bello could therefore not have as of September 2015 conspired with anyone, including Abdulsalami Hudu, a Kogi Government House cashier, to convert any money belonging to the Kogi State Government.
“It is to be noted that H.E Yahaya Bello before becoming the Governor of Kogi State had no financial dealings with the Kogi State Government which could have permitted him to convert monies belonging to the Kogi State Government, hence, one’s dismay at the allegation.
“The fact that the EFCC, in charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022: FRN V. 1. Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, currently pending before Honourable Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division further amended the ‘Amended Charge’.
The charge include in the count, the name of H.E Yahaya Bello, describing him as being “at large,” is ridiculous, laughable and portrays the EFCC as an agency infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of Mr President to defeat corruption in Nigeria.
“For the sake of clarity, the original charge is against Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman, Ali’s associate.
“The offence which H.E Yahaya Bello is alleged to have committed upon which he has been named in the count is conspiracy 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 offence is said to have occurred on or about September 2015 in Abuja.
“His co-conspirators according to the count are Abdulsalami Hudu (Kogi State Government House Cashier) described as being ‘at large’ too, Ali Bello and Dauda Suleiman”, the statement said.
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