SEIZED BAILOUT FUNDS: Kogi Accuses EFCC Of Political Agenda

The Kogi State Government has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of pursuing a political agenda with the alleged diverted bailout funds seized by the agency from a new generation bank.

The accusation was contained in a statement released on Friday by the Kogi state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo in a response to a statement released by the EFCC. Where the anti-graft agency revealed it had returned the seized N19.3 billion to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) coffers.

Further accusing the EFCC of mischief and misleading Nigerians, The state said it is exploring every legal means to maintain its innocence, as it is studying the statement released by the EFCC on Friday.

The Kogi state government has always maintained that the allegations were false, going on to demand a public apology from the EFCC.

The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to a press statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to the effect that the controversial account in Sterling Bank with the name Kogi State Salary Bailout Account which was housing N19.3 billion naira which the Commission said has been returned to the Central Bank.

“The Kogi State Government has described as laughable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s attempt to desperately wriggle out of a bad case with another mischief aimed, again, at misleading Nigerians.

“Quoting a letter signed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which has not said anything different from what has been said so far on the controversial N20bn bail-out fund, the EFCC finally exposed the fact that it had been pursuing a political agenda all along.

Revealing that moves are already being made by the Yahaya Bello-led administration to counter the EFCC, the statement continued, “As we prepare a comprehensive response to the latest of the desperate moves by the Commission to save its face in view of its obvious goof and unethical conduct in the matter in dispute, the press statement by the Commission is a malicious attempt to rope the state into a matter that ordinarily has nothing to do with our dear state.

“We maintain the unassailable truth that the Kogi State Government did not operate such account with the bank as affirmed in a letter by the bank. We sympathize with the EFCC as it has been a herculean task to cover the initial misinformation and deliberate deceit by the Commission.

“The Kogi State Government will react to this comprehensively as our media and legal teams are currently studying the ill-fated press statement by the EFCC. Every option that is legal will be considered to maintain the innocence and transparency of our Government.

“Kogites and indeed, Nigerians should be rest assured that we will get to the root of this matter.

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