N80.2bn Fraud: EFCC Asks INTERPOL to Place Yahaya Bello on Red Alert

By Adewale Ilesanmi

Ahead of July 17, 2024 appearance date before the Federal High Court in Abuja over a N80.2b fraud case, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked INTERPOL in three North African countries; Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria to place former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello on the countries’ watch-list.

The Matrix gathered that the decision by the anti-graft agency was due to an intelligence assessment on an escape plan by Bello ahead of his date in court.

The former governor is facing a 19-count charge for alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds  of about N80.2billion.

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Speaking on the situation, EFCC source said: “Ahead of the next hearing of the case, EFCC has activated many options, including taking a concrete action to watch-list Bello in North Africa.

“We are aware of a botched exit to Morocco via Cameroon. We are determined to stop him from going on exile.

“The EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede was in Tunisia where he delivered a paper at a session on illicit financial flows.

“Thereafter, he had a meeting with all the Heads of INTERPOL in North Africa on the intelligence on the ex-governor.

“He formally asked INTERPOL to place Bello on Red Alert in all North African countries and it was accepted.

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“The watch-list has taken immediate effect. He will be arrested in any part of North Africa.

We took this step because we are suspecting that he had been bidding time not to be available for arraignment.

“We expect Bello to be in court to prove his innocence. EFCC has to do its work to avoid bad precedent.”