The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that the former governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello is not in its custody.
Bello’s media team earlier said he voluntarily honoured the EFCC’s invitation on Wednesday for questioning over alleged money laundering to the tune of N80 billion.
Bello was said to have been accompanied to the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja by Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo.
In a statement, however, EFCC’s spokesman Dele Oyewale said Bello was not in the anti-graft agency’s custody.
“Media reports today that a former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello is in the holding facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is incorrect. The Commission wishes to state that Bello is not in its custody.
“Bello, already declared wanted by the Commission for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges, remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest,” Mr Oyewale said.
The statement was silent on confirming if Bello was at the EFCC’s headquarters.
The EFCC unsuccessfully tried to arrest Bello in his Abuja residence in April. The former governor was whisked away by his successor Ododo after hours of standoff with EFCC operatives and had not been seen in public since then.
