Effa Okim, the Regional Director of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Benin, has openly criticized the systemic protection that has hindered the arrest of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello. Speaking candidly at a recent press briefing, Okim expressed his frustration over the situation, attributing the lack of action to higher powers within the Nigerian political landscape.
In his address, Okim did not mince words. “This is the last question I expected because the shame is on all of us. Is that a question I should answer alone? It’s not me, it is the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he lamented, highlighting the collective failure to hold Bello accountable.
Yahaya Bello, a politically-exposed individual with alleged criminal activities under investigation by the EFCC, has managed to evade arrest for months. Okim expressed his bewilderment at the ongoing situation, stating, “That politically-exposed Yahaya Bello, whose crime has been traced to him by allegation and has been invited by EFCC to come and explain, and for months he is acting drama and we are all here wanting to ask questions! The shame is our own shame!”
Okim questioned the commitment of the authorities to bring Bello to justice, suggesting that influential figures could easily intervene. “Can’t we catch him? We can, but do we go all out to catch him? Do we need to do that when he has his masters? Can’t they call him and tell him, ‘You are disgracing Nigeria’? What are you telling the world? Tell him to go and explain himself like others have done.”
He called out not just the government officials, but also the society that continues to shield Bello. “Where are the ministers? Where are Yahaya Bello’s colleagues, even in his hiding? So, Nigerians can’t tell him ‘This is not fair, go and report; they are not going to kill you’? But people are still eating and dining with him.”
Okim decried the erosion of moral standards and the complicity of some individuals who support Bello instead of urging him to comply with the law. “Where has morality gone before legality that we can’t summon that man and tell him to go and report himself to the EFCC? Some persons are writing, supporting him, while some are criticizing the commission.”
The EFCC Director underscored the broader implications of this issue, emphasizing the damage to Nigeria’s image and the negative example set for the younger generation. “The problem is our own problem that borders on Nigeria’s image. Our children are watching their parents behave like children.”
In a call to action, Okim urged the media to play a more proactive role in addressing the issue. “The media should come out for the first time to harmonise, criticise that action and forget about prosecution but tell him to make himself available; thereafter we know what to do.”
Concluding his remarks, Okim drew a stark comparison to George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” implying that even in a fictional world known for its corruption, such behavior would be unacceptable. “To me, the truth has vanished. Even in Animal Farm, this will not happen, that a man who was part of the system that was a custodian of our culture, rules and laws can behave like this and you are asking questions.”
Okim’s statements reflect a deep frustration with the systemic issues that allow politically-exposed individuals to evade justice, calling for a unified and moral stand against such actions.
