The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) this Sunday morning, May 5, 2024, broke its silence on a viral list of ex-governors purportedly under investigation for alleged corruption.

On Saturday, several reports emerged in the media that 58 former governors were under the radar of the anti-graft agency. They were accused of misappropriating N2.187 trillion over 25 years.

According to reports, the 58 former governors – drawn from the six regions of the country – were being probed, while others have been investigated, and prosecuted.

But in a statement earlier today, the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, described the reports as false and misleading.

He said the “so-called list is a disingenuous fabrication designed to achieve motives known only to the authors.”

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, feels obliged to dissociate itself from a phantom report circulating in sections of the media claiming it has released a full list of ex- governors being investigated for alleged corruption,” the statement read.

“The report headlined:“EFCC ReleasesFull List of 58 Ex- Governorsthat Embezzled N2 .187 Trillion”, in one of the news outlets, is false and mischievous as the Commission neither issued the said list nor entertained discussions on investigation of ex-governors with any news medium.”

The anti-graft agency urged the public to disregard the report, saying “it is false and misleading.”

It also urged media practitioners to crosscheck facts about matters under investigation with the Commission to avoid misleading the public with false and inaccurate reports.

Recently, the EFCC has been probing some former governors over allegations of corruption and misappropriation of public funds.

Among them is the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who is being arraigned on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

According to the EFCC, the embattled ex-governor withdrew $720,000 from the state’s accounts to pay his child’s school fees in advance just before he left office on January 27, 2024.

Briefing journalists at the Commission’s headquarters in the Jabi area of Abuja, on April 23, the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede alleged that Bello moved the money from the state coffers to a Bureau de Change operator, and used the money for his child’s school fee in advance.

He said, “A sitting governor, because he knew he was leaving office, moved money directly from the government to Bureau de Change (and) used it to pay his child’s school fee in advance.

“Over $720,000 or thereabout, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House. In a poor state like Kogi? And you want me to close my eyes under the guise of ‘I’m being used’. Used by who? At this stage of my life? Used by who?

“I didn’t initiate the case; I inherited the case. I called for the case file and I said there are issues here.” (Adapted from a Channels TV report)