By SUNTV Global Channel | January 12, 2026
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has reaffirmed his earlier vow to resign if the prosecution of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello fails, insisting that the anti-graft agency has fulfilled its mandate and that the case is now firmly before the courts.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday Politics, aired by Channels Television, Olukoyede revealed fresh details of the allegations against Bello, accusing the former governor of diverting Kogi State government funds to pay $720,000 in advance school fees for his child while still in office.
According to the EFCC chairman, Bello allegedly moved money directly from the Kogi State Government account to a bureau de change, anticipating his exit from office.
“A sitting governor, knowing he was about to leave office, transferred state funds straight to a bureau de change and used the money to pay $720,000 as advance school fees for his child,” Olukoyede said.
He described the alleged action as troubling, especially considering the economic condition of Kogi State at the time.
“This is a poor state, and you expect me to ignore such an act under the excuse that I am being used. Being used by who at this stage of my life?” he added.
Addressing public concerns over the pace of the case, Olukoyede revisited his April 2024 pledge to resign if Bello was not prosecuted, stressing that the EFCC has kept its word.
“Have I not fulfilled that promise? Is Yahaya Bello not being prosecuted? The case is in court,” he said.
He emphasised that the EFCC’s responsibility ends at investigation and prosecution, not conviction.
“I am not the judge. I have filed the cases. I have done my work. I have fulfilled my mandate,” Olukoyede stated, urging Nigerians to support the agency rather than undermine its efforts.
The former Kogi governor is currently facing multiple criminal charges across different courts. One of the cases involves a 16-count charge of alleged property fraud valued at N110 billion, alongside two co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu.
In another matter before the Federal High Court, Bello is facing a 19-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and money laundering involving N80.2 billion.
The EFCC had earlier declared Bello wanted in April 2024 over alleged financial crimes totaling about N80 billion, a move that sparked nationwide debate and political reactions.
Reiterating the commission’s commitment, Olukoyede said investigations uncovered the alleged $720,000 school fees payment during a broader probe into Bello’s financial activities while in office.
“This man has been investigated, charges have been filed, and the case is gaining traction,” he said.
The EFCC chairman assured Nigerians that the agency would pursue the prosecution to its logical conclusion, regardless of the political status or influence of those involved, while stressing that the final verdict rests with the judiciary.
— SUNTV Global Channel
