Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi has again dismissed the allegation of misappropriation of salary account leveled against the Kogi State Government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A Federal High Court in Lagos had frozen the state government’s salary bailout account domiciled in a commercial bank over an alleged N20 billion loan obtained from it.
The account was frozen by the court following an ex parte application brought by the EFCC, pending the conclusion of the investigation or possible prosecution.
Abass Muhammed, counsel to the EFCC, told the court that the order was necessary so as to preserve the ‘res’ (the fund in question) and abate further dissipation of the funds in the account.
While Fielding questions from State House in Abuja on Tuesday, the governor, however, accused the EFCC of misinterpreting facts or taking a joke too far.
According to him, Kogi is the only state that has published on its website how the bailout fund was utilised.
”No Kogi state government’s salary account is frozen. None whatsoever. None of our accounts is frozen or embargo placed on any of our accounts by EFCC at all.
”I think it’s just a misrepresentation of facts or is a joke taken too far. My Information Commissioner and all those that are concerned with that lies peddled by the EFCC, I think they have responded appropriately.
”And I will urge each and every Nigerian to please go to Kogi state website, all the facts are there.
”The Bank has denied that we have such an account. And besides that, the bailout fund that we obtained, we appropriated in line with the agreement and understanding between Kogi state government and the workers.
”And all of these were done and finished in the year 2019. So first, there’s no N20 billion account, or N19 billion, no fixed deposit account. So I don’t know where the lie is coming from.
“I think in the days ahead, you will hear exactly how the matter shall be resolved. That’s why I said that is a joke taken too far.
”I want to believe that either the officials of the EFCC may have misled the commission.
”Remember that we will not just allow this to lie low because Mr President prides on fighting corruption and EFCC is one of the agencies that is being used to fight corruption.”