Bello: CHRICED calls for emergency in Kogi

• Pro-Tinubu group urges ex-gov to clear name
• Youths knock EFCC over fraud allegation
Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Kogi State, if Governor Usman Ododo refuses to surrender his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, to face corruption charges against him.

Bello was accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of committing N80.2 billion fraud, including using a state fund of over $700,000 to pay his children’s school fees in advance.

Executive Director of CHRICED, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, in a statement, yesterday, noted “with deep concern the reprehensible actions of Ododo,” who reportedly abused his official immunity to shield Bello from arrest. While appreciating the efforts so far by the EFCC in pursuing the case against Bello, CHRICED condemned Ododo’s interference in thwarting the former governor’s arrest, “which goes against his sworn oath of office”.

He added: “We also denounce the Kogi House of Assembly for hastily passing a resolution urging the EFCC to remove Bello from its wanted list. These actions highlight the entrenched corruption and impunity in Kogi, a state grappling with challenges such as unpaid pensions, delayed salaries for workers, and lack of infrastructure.”

The group alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC), which came to power in 2015 with the promise of fighting corruption, “has sunk neck-deep into the same corruption it claimed it was ready to fight.”

TINUBU Media Support Group (TMSG) has called on Bello to submit himself to EFCC and the courts of law to clear himself of allegations of financial malfeasance while in office.

This, according to the group, is because the EFCC has not, in any way, erred, but doing its lawful job by asking Bello to appear before it for questioning. In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG described the stand-off between the former governor and the EFCC as unnecessary, saying it is an affront to the sanctity of the law and the integrity of the President’s war against corruption.
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We have carefully watched all the drama and subterfuge that continue to trail the invitation by EFCC to Bello, a senior member of APC, and the curious attempts to politicise the routine matter of the request by the graft fighting agency for Bello to meet with its investigators.

“For us, Bello owes it a duty to the state and the people he governed, if not to himself, to give account in line with our laws and global best practices. It should not be seen as a witch-hunt.”

MEANWHILE, Okun Youths in Kogi have condemned the alleged persecution of Bello by EFCC. Addressing the press in Lokoja, at the weekend, Co-convener of Okun Youths, Emmanuel Ayo, described the allegations of embezzlement against Bello as unfounded, adding that the anti-graft agency keeps embarking on media trial without substantiating evidence to prosecute the former governor.The group vowed to stand with Bello for his good work in Kogi.