He also said he invited Bello to his office for a more
respectful and dignified interrogation, but that the ex-governor wanted EFCC
operatives to grill him in his village instead.
“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my
office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that,” he said.
“But he said because a certain senator has planted over 100
journalists in my office, he would not come.
“I told him that he
would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men
should come to his village to interrogate him.”
Olukoyede said the EFCC did not violate any law while trying
to arrest the former governor from his residence.
“Rather, we have obeyed the law. I inherited the case and I
didn’t create it. Why has he not submitted himself to the law?” he asked.
“I have arraigned two past governors who have been granted
bail now — Willie Obiano and Abdulfatah Ahmed.
“We would have gone
after Bello since January but we waited for the court order.
“As early as 7 am, my gallant men were there. Over 50 of
them. They mounted surveillance.
“We met over 30 armed policemen there. We would have
exchanged fire and there would have been casualties.
“My men were about to move in when the governor of Kogi
drove in and they later changed the narrative.”
He vowed that all those who have dipped their hands into the
public till would be investigated and prosecuted.
“If I can do Obiano, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Chief Olu
Agunloye, my kinsman, why not Yahaya Bello?” Olukoyede said.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bello on 19 counts bordering on
alleged money laundering and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of
N80.2 billion.
