The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has maintained that the corruption cases involving former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, are actively before the courts, stressing that he has fulfilled his responsibility in ensuring the former governor is prosecuted.
Olukoyede, who had publicly pledged to resign if Bello was not brought before the courts, reiterated that the matter is no longer in the hands of the EFCC but with the judiciary.
In April 2024, the EFCC boss had declared, “If I do not personally oversee the completion of the investigation regarding Yahaya Bello, I will tender my resignation as the chairman of the EFCC.”
Amid public concern over why the case has not been concluded, Olukoyede said the legal process is ongoing. Speaking during an exclusive interview with Channels Television aired on Sunday Politics, he asked, “Have I not made good that promise of commitment? Is Yahaya Bello not being prosecuted? The case is still in court.”
He explained that the commission has multiple cases against the former governor and emphasised that securing a conviction is the responsibility of the court, not the EFCC. “I have three cases against Yahaya Bello. Am I the judge who would determine the conviction? I have done my work. I have fulfilled my mandate. Nigerians must know that, and they must also encourage us in doing more,” he said.
According to Olukoyede, Bello has been thoroughly investigated and formally charged, adding that the cases are progressing. “This man has been investigated, and we have filed charges against him, and the matter is gaining traction,” he stated.
Yahaya Bello is currently facing a 16-count charge bordering on alleged property fraud amounting to ₦110 billion, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu. He is also being tried before the Federal High Court on a separate 19-count charge involving alleged fraud and money laundering to the tune of ₦80.2 billion.
The EFCC had declared Bello wanted in April 2024 over an alleged ₦80 billion financial crime before he later appeared in court.
Olukoyede further highlighted one of the allegations against the former governor, accusing him of transferring $720,000 from the Kogi State Government’s account to a bureau de change shortly before leaving office. According to the EFCC chairman, the funds were allegedly used as advance payment for his child’s school fees.
“A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House,” Olukoyede said.
He added that such an act was indefensible, especially given the economic realities of the state. “In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?” he asked.
What you should know
Yahaya Bello served as Governor of Kogi State from 2016 to 2024 and has been one of the most high-profile former governors prosecuted by the EFCC in recent years.
Under Nigerian law, the EFCC’s role ends largely at investigation and prosecution, while convictions rest with the courts. Delays in high-profile corruption cases are often attributed to complex legal processes, multiple charges, and court procedures.
Olukoyede’s resignation pledge heightened public scrutiny of the Bello case, making it a key test of the agency’s commitment to anti-corruption enforcement.
