A foremost assemblage of rights activists in Nigeria, Open Justice Initiative has petitioned the Economic Financial Crimes Commission to carryout an immediate interrogation on the ex-gov of Kogi State over an alleged abysmal withdrawal of 15 billiion naira tagged term loan contract financing.

In the suit, the group alleged that Yahaya Bello, had always enjoyed syphoning and diverting funds allocated for the state development and has been petitioned to not just the EFCC, but also the ICPC, over “financial recklessness, corruption, money laundering and fraudulent application of Kogi State’s resources.

The group in a statement signed by its convener, Edeh Uchenna C esq, edehuchennac@gmail.com, on Tuesday, stated that in a letter dated on the 18th of August, 2023, written to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, the government in the said letter was requesting approval and establishment of irrevocable standing payment order (ISPO) on the fifteen-billion-naira term loan contract financing from zenith bank.

“In the letter, they claimed, that pursuant to the resolution of the Federal Government of Nigeria to collaborate with all tiers of government in their infrastructural development project of their states, Kogi State government in the last 7years embarked upon various laudable infrastructural development projects across the State for the upliftment of the living standard of her citizens hence the reason for their abysmal request.

“May we reiterate that within the backdrop of their so-called claims, we do not and cannot count how many infrastructural development, project Yahaya Bello executed or commissioned to deserve the payment of such whooping sum. It is well within our right as the 5th estate of the realm’ to say that during Yahaya Bello’s first four years in office, government workers were always in queer street-incarcerated in hardship and muzzled by his puppets and just like the first, his second tenure is an emblem of hardship, insecurity and oppression, there were no major projects that he commissioned neither can the veracity of his claims to have better the lives of the citizenry be confirmed.

“The Economic Financial Crimes Commission is mandated to carryout investigation of all financial crimes including advance fee fraud, money laundering, counterfeiting, illegal fund transfers, futures market fraud, contract scam, confirm validity of projects while also coordinating and enforcing all economic and financial crimes laws; hence the need for this petition.

“We are concerned about the development of the state and as watchdog of the society, we do not take any ounce of glory off a public steward that performed while in office, that is to say if Yahaya Bello had performed according to the oath taken before assuming the post of a governor, we will be the first to thrown in some accolade.

“Also, we wonder on what basis the government is irrevocably and unconditionally mandating the Federal Ministry of Finance to deduct from State Statutory Revenue Allocation the sum of N557,453,750.40 at monthly intervals commencing August 2023 up to Thirty-Six (36) months and remit same directly to Kogi State SRA Zenith Bank with Account Number- 1014558813, for replacement of the facility granted to the state.” It added.

The group however, urged the anti-graft agencies to verify the veracity of the infrastructural development projects allegedly executed, commissioned by the state government under Yahaya Bello’s administration, processes followed and ensure due interrogation and response to the issue which is bedeviling the state.