Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja, Nigeria — Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has reiterated his earlier vow to see through the prosecution of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, insisting that the anti‑graft agency has done its part in advancing the case and that his mandate has been fulfilled even as the matter continues in court.
In a televised interview on Channels Television’s “Sunday Politics” programme, Olukoyede addressed growing public scrutiny over the pace of legal proceedings against Bello, who has been facing multiple high‑profile corruption charges. The EFCC boss reminded Nigerians of a public pledge he made in April 2024 — that he would resign if Bello was not prosecuted — and argued that the current state of the prosecution satisfies that commitment.
“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,” Olukoyede said, emphasising that the EFCC’s role is to investigate and prosecute, not to determine guilt or secure convictions from the bench. He stressed that the matter is now firmly before the courts, where it will be determined on its legal merits.
The former governor is currently standing trial on a 16‑count charge involving alleged property fraud amounting to ₦110 billion, alongside co‑defendants Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and is also facing a separate 19‑count charge in the Federal High Court related to alleged fraud and money laundering totaling ₦80.2 billion.
Olukoyede revisited details of the investigation, alleging that Bello — while still in office — transferred funds directly from the Kogi State Government’s account to a bureau de change, which were purportedly used to pay $720,000 in advance for his child’s school fees abroad. He described the alleged transaction as especially troubling given the economic challenges faced by the state and said the EFCC would continue to pursue the case regardless of political sensitivities.
The EFCC chairman urged Nigerians to view the prosecution through the prism of due legal process and discouraged interpretations that the length of the trial equates to inaction by his agency. “Is Yahaya Bello not being prosecuted? The case is still in court,” he queried, noting that investigative and prosecutorial duties entrusted to the EFCC have been executed.
Olukoyede’s comments come amid heightened scrutiny of the EFCC’s handling of corruption cases involving political officeholders. While some critics lament the slow pace of trials, supporters stress that comprehensive evidence gathering and adherence to procedural fairness are necessary to secure sustainable judicial outcomes in complex financial crime cases.
By reaffirming that he believes he has delivered on his earlier pledge, Olukoyede signalled that his resignation is no longer imminent based on the current status of the court proceedings against Bello. The EFCC continues to navigate the legal process as the judiciary considers the substantial charges laid before it, with many watching closely for future developments in one of Nigeria’s most closely followed anti‑corruption prosecutions.
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