The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has called on INTERPOL to place former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello under surveillance in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, citing credible intelligence that also extends to Egypt, Libya, and Sudan.
Sources within the EFCC disclosed to The Nation that multiple strategies are being evaluated to address the situation, including potential action at the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, where Bello is suspected to be evading authorities. The decision to place him on the watch-list coincides with his anticipated court appearance on July 17th at the Federal High Court in Abuja, facing a 19-count charge amounting to approximately N80.2 billion for offenses such as money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.
Despite refuting these allegations, Bello has consistently failed to appear in court as scheduled in June before Justice Emeka Nwite. An EFCC insider stated, “In preparation for the upcoming court session, EFCC has activated various measures, including the initiative to monitor Bello’s movements in North Africa. We are aware of an attempted escape route through Cameroon to Morocco and are resolute in preventing his potential escape into exile.”
Recently, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede visited Tunisia, engaging with INTERPOL officials in North Africa to secure Bello’s inclusion on a Red Alert. This request was promptly approved, with the watch-list implementation taking immediate effect. “We took this action suspecting that Bello has been stalling to evade trial. We expect him to appear in court and defend himself. The EFCC is committed to upholding justice and deterring any misconduct,” the source emphasized.