The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC), has positioned former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on INTERPOL’s watch listing in three North African international locations of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria.
Recall that the ex-Governor had earlier been placed on the watch listing of Egypt, Libya and Sudan.
The anti-graft fee stated the latest motion adopted an intelligence that the Bello might attempt to run to any of those international locations.
The watch-list was additionally activated forward of the July 17 anticipated look of the previous governor earlier than a Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja.
Bello is dealing with a 19-count cost for alleged cash laundering, breach of belief and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N80.2billion.
The ex-governor has denied the allegation and has persistently failed to seem earlier than the trial Choose, Justice Emeka Nwite on June 13 and June 27.
On the final listening to, Bello filed an software for the switch of his trial to the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
Talking on the scenario, the EFCC supply stated, “Forward of the subsequent listening to of the case, EFCC has activated many choices, together with taking a concrete motion to watch-list Bello in North Africa.
“We’re conscious of a botched exit to Morocco through Cameroon. We’re decided to cease him from happening exile.
“From Singapore, the EFCC government chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede was in Tunisia the place he delivered a paper at a session on illicit monetary flows. Thereafter, he had a gathering with all of the heads of INTERPOL in North Africa on the intelligence on the ex-governor.
“He formally requested INTERPOL to position Bello on Purple Alert in all North African international locations and it was accepted.
“The watch-list has taken instant impact. He might be arrested in any a part of North Africa. We took this step as a result of we’re suspecting that he had been bidding time to not be out there for arraignment.
“We anticipate Bello to be in court docket to show his innocence. EFCC has to do its work to keep away from unhealthy precedent.”
