The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday posted a cryptic message on X which appears to be directed at Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion.

On April 18, the anti-graft agency declared the former governor wanted over alleged financial crimes.

The EFCC asked anyone with useful information on Bello’s whereabouts to contact the commission or the nearest police station.

BACKGROUND

On March 14, the EFCC named the former Kogi governor in an amended charge filed against Alli Bello.

Bello, chief of staff to Usman Ododo, the incumbent governor of the state, and one Daudu Suleiman, are the two defendants in the 17-count amended charge.

The EFCC alleged that the suspects diverted about N100 billion belonging to the Kogi state government in September 2015 – about four months before Bello assumed office as governor.

On April 17, the anti-graft agency barricaded the Abuja residence of the former governor of Kogi to arrest him.

Some hours later, Ododo arrived at Bello’s residence and was said to have left with the former governor in his vehicle.

THE CRYPTIC MESSAGE

The EFCC in its “Eagle Series” posted on X, wrote that “once the eagle is on your case, you cannot hide — you can only run”, adding that “it will smoke you out in a matter of time”.

“Reason: The Eagle will smoke you out. It’s just a matter of time,” the anti-graft agency added.

“The world may be very big and Wide Only a coward thinks he can run and Hide But the Eagle will locate where you Reside In due time, you will bring yourself Outside The option now is left for you to Decide.”

Earlier on Friday, Abdulwahab Mohammed, lead counsel for Yahaya Bello, former Kogi governor, asked a federal high court in Abuja to give him four weeks to search for his client.

Mohammed added that the ex-governor’s whereabouts remain unknown.

The court has also refused to vacate a warrant of arrest issued against Bello.

Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, criticised Bello for filing applications despite his refusal to show up in court.

He described the actions of the former governor as an attempt to truncate the case preferred against him by the EFCC.

President Bola Tinubu on Friday conferred the second highest national honour of Grand Commander of Order of Nigeria on the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, for his immeasurable and invaluable contributions to national development.

Tinubu gave the honour at the 90th birthday ceremony of the paramount ruler held at the Oba Sikiru Adetona School of Governance, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

“Because Oba Adetona has honoured our country and humanity with his many years of meritorious service, I therefore, on this special occasion of his 90th birthday ceremony, confer on him the second highest National Honour of Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON),” Tinubu said.

The President, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, also announced that the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos has been directed to take over the management of Oba Sikiru Adetona School of Governance which the royal father bequeathed to the university.

The President described Awujale as an extraordinary royal father and hero of Nigeria’s democracy who is adored all over the country for his sincerity of purpose and courage in the face of any adversity threatening national development.

The event also featured the presentation of a book “Reinventing Governance in Nigeria: The Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona Model” as well as the Oba Sikiru Annual Professorial Chair lecture delivered by Prof Akinsola Agagu.

Agagu spoke on “Changing Nigeria’s Governance Narratives”.

Speaking on the monarch, Tinubu said, “Kabiyesi Adetona deserves all the accolades we can accord him because he earned them.

“In the last 64 years, Kabiyesi had served the people of Ijebuland with a clear vision and rare dedication. It is not surprising that his kingdom and people have continued to thrive.

“While we rejoice with the highly revered Oba Adetona today, it is important to say that what we are celebrating is much more than his 90th birthday. In Oba Adetona, we are celebrating courage, dignity, honour and a life that is only committed to duty and service.

“In times of adversity, Oba Adetona showed kingly and firm character. He stood his ground and confronted oppression during our struggle for the restoration of democratic rule between 1992 and 1999.

“If democracy is blossoming in our country today it is because patriarchs like Oba Adetona stood on the side of the people”

He disclosed that as a result of many years of meritorious service to the country and humanity, “the Federal Government has decided to bestow the second highest national honour of Grand Commander of Order of Nigeria, on Oba Adetona as a reward for his selfless service to the fatherland.”

Speaking earlier, the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, described the paramount ruler as a bundle of talent, and an incorruptible monarch who is fiercely committed to justice, fairness and upliftment of the nation.

Abiodun celebrated Oba Adetona for being a foremost promoter of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence saying that his legendary acts of giving and various philanthropic activities have always made him to be such a rare royal father.

He said the 90-year-old monarch represents the beauty and candour of the unrivalled and ancestral heritage of the Ijebu nation praying the Almighty God to further preserve the traditional ruler for many more years to come.

The programme had in attendance former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife, Mrs Bola Obasanjo, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Former Governors of Ogun State; Chief Olusegun Osoba, Sen Gbenga Daniel as well as Sen Ibikunle Amosun.

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle have arrived in the country for their 72-hour tour to promote the Invictus Games.

According to Daily Mail, they both arrived today after boarding the British Airways overnight flight to Abuja, which was slightly delayed after the scheduled pilot went sick, and a replacement had to be quickly arranged.

On arrival in Nigeria just before 5 am, they were met at the airport, Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International by Nigerian officials, and afterwards, taken out of a side door onto the jetty, and into a waiting blacked-out minibus.

Brigadier General Tukur Gusau told MailOnline: ‘They will be tired after their journey, so they will rest and then the first engagement is at midday at the Defence Headquarters.

‘After that, they will travel to Kaduna to meet wounded soldiers at a military hospital there before returning to Abuja for other engagements.’

The visit primarily to promote the Invictus Games, comes after Harry met the Nigerian team and General Christopher Musa at last year’s competition in Dusseldorf, Germany.

It was there that he told the audience Meghan was ‘rooting for Team Nigeria’, after discovering she had heritage from the West African nation.

Harry and Meghan are visiting Nigeria at the invitation of General Musa.

The couple are due to visit a school before the duke meets injured service members at a military hospital.

They will also attend a training session for the charity organisation Nigeria: Unconquered, which collaborates with the Invictus Games, as well as a reception where military families will be honoured.

On Saturday, the couple will attend a training session for the organisation, Nigeria: Unconquered and a reception hosted by the Chief of Defence Staff in honour of military families.

In the afternoon, Meghan will co-host an event of Women in Leadership with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization.

On Sunday, the couple will attend a basketball clinic with Giants of Africa, a cultural reception, and a polo fundraiser for Nigeria: Unconquered.

In 2022, the Duchess of Sussex revealed that she had discovered via a genealogy test that she was 43% Nigerian.

Talking about it in her Archetypes podcast, she told comedian Ziwe, “I’m going to start to dig deeper into all this because anybody that I’ve told, especially Nigerian women, are like ‘What!’ ”

“This is huge for our community. No, honestly, you do look like a Nigerian, you look like my Aunt Uzo. So this is great,” Ziwe, 30, said.