EFCC denies media trial of Yahaya Bello, stands by chairman’s actions

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed claims that its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, subjected the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to a media trial.

Olukoyede had organized a press conference where he disclosed that Bello withdrew $720,000 from a government account to pay his child’s school fees. He also claimed that the former governor invited the EFCC to interrogate him in his village. The EFCC Chairman further vowed to resign if he fails to arrest Bello and follow through the investigation.

However, a former Vice President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Prof. Nwoke Chijioke, disagreed with Olukoyede, labeling the press conference as a wrong approach and an unfair trial.

Chijioke stated, ‘’The EFCC chairman’s press conference of yesterday was really uncalled for. That is an unfair trial. All these challenges are because of what I would call a media trial.”

In response, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, defended Olukoyede’s actions, stating that his revelations did not violate any rule. Oyewale clarified, “There is nothing the chairman said on Tuesday that was not already in the public domain. Also, we have filed our processes, and everything is before the court, so the chairman did not say anything that is not already in the public domain.”

He added, “The chairman himself is a lawyer, and he knows his onions. Everything he said was within his rights as the Chief Executive Officer of the EFCC.”

The EFCC’s statement reaffirms its position and underscores the legality of the Chairman’s actions in addressing the matter involving Yahaya Bello.

Oreoluwa Ojelabi

Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.