EFCC vs Bello: Lawyer says EFCC is on wild goose chase
An Abuja based legal practitioner, Barr. Fatima Salman has lent her voice to the raging issue of corruption allegation leveled against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
Barr. Fatima said the Anti-graft agency seems not to be sure of what it is saying, adding that it is obvious that it is on a wild goose chase.
“What the whole thing looks to me is like throwing a net into the river without a target. A kalokalo of a sort. EFCC looks too desperate to nail the ex-Governor.
“I have carefully looked at the issues and I don’t see any merit in all of the issues. What I see is desperation to hang something on the former Governor by all means.”
Barr. Fatima faulted claims by EFCC on why the former Governor paid his children school fees upfront, pointing out that it was wrong to presume that payment for the fees was made from the coffers of Kogi State.
According to her, the payment never came directly from the ex-Governor but from his nephew, whom, she said, had since approached the courts and got a refund from the school.
“From this standpoint, I see an EFCC desperate to nail the ex-Governor. Why should the agency be keeping such a close tap on him? Its actions are suspicious and motive-laden.
“There is a motive and this is far beyond the mandate of the agency. Yahaya Bello is not the first civilian Governor in Nigeria, why is the EFCC treating his matter with so much attention?”
She therefore, advised the agency to be more professional, adding that it is also not consistent with the information it dishes out.
She also faulted the press conference addressed by the agency’s boss, Ola Olukayode, explaining that it was an exercise in futility which was intended to attract public sympathy.
“The EFCC does not need any of such thing. A discerning mind would want to know why it went to such ridiculous extent.
“It was done in bad faith and as a lawyer, I expect the EFCC boss to know better”, she remarked.
