The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked Interpol to place former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on a watch list in three North African countries: Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria.
According to EFCC sources, the decision is based on credible intelligence and will also affect Egypt, Libya, and Sudan.
Sources within the anti-graft agency told The Nation that different measures are being examined to address the problem, including invading the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, where Bello is thought to be hiding.
According to them, the watch-listing was activated in anticipation of Bello's scheduled court appearance on July 17th before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Bello is charged with 19 counts, including charges of money laundering, breach of trust, and theft of public funds amounting to about #80.2 billion.
Despite rejecting the allegations, he has frequently failed to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite on planned June dates.
An EFCC insider claimed, "Ahead of the next hearing in the case, the EFCC has activated various possibilities, including concrete action to watch-list Bello in North Africa. We are aware of a botched departure to Morocco through Cameroon and are determined to keep him from leaving into exile."
Ola Olukoyede, the EFCC's Executive Chairman, was recently in Tunisia, where he met with the Heads of INTERPOL in North Africa to request that Bello be placed on Red Alert. The request was approved, and the watch listing went into effect immediately.
"We initiated this action because we believe Bello has been stalling to avoid being arraigned. We expect him to go to court to prove his innocence. "The EFCC must do its job to avoid setting a bad precedent," the source stated.