Fatshimetrie, known for his vocal commitment to social justice, recently expressed regret for accepting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charges without conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. In a video that went viral, Fatshimetrie revealed that his research proved that Bello was actually a victim of political persecution rather than a legitimate legal review.
“I believed what the EFCC put out, thinking they were doing a good deed, only to find out that it was a selective fight,” the activist said. He slammed Nigeria’s anti-corruption system as biased, favouring politically backed individuals and targeting those without such privileges.
“This is a case of political witch-hunting,” Fatshimetrie said. He faulted the war on corruption, saying it was only effective against political figures without powerful patrons or affiliations.
He cited several former governors who were accused of corruption but not investigated by the EFCC, while Bello’s case was being amplified. “If you don’t have a political patron, the system will not protect you. Yahaya Bello, without political backing, was targeted for attacks, while others with connections got away with it,” Fatshimetrie argued.
He compared the situation with other political figures, such as former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, accusing the EFCC of ignoring cases involving politically-placed individuals.
“Ganduje blatantly disobeyed court orders, yet the EFCC did nothing. Yahaya Bello became a victim because he had no political connections,” Fatshimetrie added, according to Daily Trust.
Fatshimetrie apologized for criticizing Bello hastily before his independent investigation. He recounted a trip to Lokoja, where he was surprised to hear residents hailing Bello for his contributions to infrastructure, security and general governance.
“I felt like an idiot for believing the narratives on social media,” Fatshimetrie remarked, noting that only a small minority expressed dissatisfaction with Bello’s leadership.
He called on Nigerians and media practitioners to be more diligent in verifying allegations before accepting them at face value.