Nigerians have expressed outrage after Rashida Bello, the wife of Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello declared wanted over alleged N3 billion fraud was seen with First Lady Aisha Buhari and the wife of the President-elect, Remi Tinubu, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in February, arraigned Rashida Bello at the Federal High Court, Abuja, alongside three other persons on an 18-count charge “bordering on criminal misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of N3,081,804,654.″
The EFCC said Rashida’s whereabouts was unknown at the time of arraignment.
Not a few Nigerians who lamented that corruption has now become endemic in the country, noted that the photo makes them depressed.
“Is this for real?
Corruption is endemic. It is innate in an average African. Each time I read out matters like this, I feel depressed because I know what I am going through. I understand what others are also going through. The hardship is intense. Why would these people continue to siphon our common patrimony at our own expense?
Anybody who can help me with a job – no matter how menial or humbling – I would appreciate. You’re helping an entire family if you do this for me. We are dying here,” a social media user wrote on a forum.
According to reports, Mrs. Rashida Bello announced her presence at a meeting with Mrs. Aisha Buhari and Remi Tinubu at the Villa on Monday, few weeks after the anti-graft agency declared her wanted.
“Few days ago at the Presidential Villa where the wife of the President-elect, (the) wife of the Vice-President-elect, myself and other governors wives, as well as APC stakeholders and members, paid a courtesy visit to the mother of the nation, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari,” Mr Bello said in a Facebook post on Monday, sharing photos of herself in the company of the women.
EFCC’s spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, reportedly said: “The matter is in court,” when asked on Thursday about the anti-graft agency’s claim that Mrs. Bello is at large.
The charges against the suspects read:
“That you, Ali Bello, Abba Adaudu, Yakubu Siyaka Adabenege, Iyada Sadat, Rashida Bello (at large) sometime in June 2020 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court procured E- Traders International Limited to retain the aggregate sum of N3,081,804,654.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit: criminal misappropriation, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 18(a), 15(20)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under section 15 (3) of the same Act,” said count one of the charge.”