N80billion Fraud: Why Operatives Didn't Break Into Yahaya Bello's Hideout Like Okorocha's Case – EFCC

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has explained why operatives of the anti-graft agency did not force their way in to arrest the immediate past Governor of Kogi State. Yahaya Bello, in his house in Wuse, Abuja, as they did with former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha. 

Addressing journalists during an interactive session in Abuja, the EFCC Chairman said that he took over 50 operatives to Bello’s house where they met over 30 armed policemen and 10 Counter Terrorism Unit personnel but intentionally decided not to engage in exchange of fire with them to avoid casualties.

Olukoyede said, “Not until the day we got court order, I didn’t go after this man (Bello). When we got there, I directed my operatives to mount surveillance. I said, don’t cause a breakdown of law and order. Our people mounted a surveillance.

“When we eventually got this order across to them, we were supposed to move in, that was when the Governor (incumbent Kogi Governor Usman Ododo) came with his vehicle and whisked this man away, even though they are denying now, when we have video evidence.

“We met over 30 armed policemen, about CTU -  Counter Terrorism Unit with them. I don’t know what they were doing. The CSO (Chief Security Officer), is a senior DSS official. We met all these people there.

“I went with my gallant men, over 50 of them, armed to the teeth. We would have exchanged fire but if we had done that, there would have been casualties. If I had killed one or two people in that cross fire, would it have been better?”

Speaking on the former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha's incident, the EFCC boss said, “The day I went for my screening, I was at the National Assembly, the issue of the invasion of Okorocha house became an issue. They took me up on that.

“We are a sophisticated law enforcement agency. We are not military. What we investigate is white collar crime. There are certain things that may be lawful for us but may not be expedient. Exchanging fire with other servicemen wasn’t expedient for me, and nobody would have asked me to do that and I would have done it.

“If I had killed one or two people or another uniform men because I wanted to arrest somebody who committed white collar crime, what would I do if I want to arrest a terrorist?”

Olukoyede said that Bello would not have been declared wanted if he had surrendered himself to the anti-corruption commission.