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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The media office of former Kogi State Governo, Yahaya Bello, has said he (Bello) was never invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement signed by Michael Ohiare, Bello’s media office said the anti-graft agency declared the former governor wanted without sending an invitation to him.
It aadded that Bello is not afraid of EFCC.
Recall that the commission had alleged that Bello laundered N80.2 billion belonging to Kogi State.
On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s Abuja residence in a bid to arrest him.
While the operatives were at th former governor’s residence, Usman Ododo, incumbent governor of Kogi State, arrived at the scene.
Shortly after Ododo left the residence, the EFCC operatives ended their siege. Bello was believed to have been rescued from his residence by Ododo.
Amid the drama, a Kogi State High Court delivered judgement in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Bello, and restrained the commission from “harassing, threatening to arrest or detaining” the former governor.
On the same day, the EFCC obtained a warrant of arrest against Bello from a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Subsequently, the anti-graft agency declared the former governor wanted, while the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) placed Bello on a watchlist.
The EFCC had said Bello was invited when his tenure ended, but he refused to honour the invitation.
Also, the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, during an interactive session with newsmen on Tuesday said he invited Bello to his office for a dignified interrogation.
Olukoyede said Bello turned down the invitation and requested operatives to come to his village instead.
However, Ohiare said Bello is not a fugitive running from the law.
“Let it be known to all that Alhaji Yahaya Bello is not afraid of the EFCC, he is not a fugitive running from the Law. All he demands is that the rule of law be respected!!,” he said.
The media office dared the anti-graft agency to prove that Bello former governor was ever invited.
“The EFCC stated that they invited Alhaji Yahaya Bello immediately after his tenure ended on the 27th of January, 2024. We challenge the EFCC to publish a copy of the invitation delivered to Yahaya Bello.
“They should also tell Nigerians the date the alleged invitation was delivered and who it was delivered to. We are certain that the EFCC will not be able to produce any of the foregoing as to date, they have yet to invite Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
“Indeed, just about the end of his administration, several online news sites published that the EFCC would arrest the Governor as soon as he handed over power to his successor as they intended to charge him for alleged crimes committed as Governor of Kogi State.
“True to the stories, the EFCC on the 5th day of February 2023 in an ongoing trial of other persons, in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/550/22 before Honourable Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, amended the Charge to include in Count 1 thereof, the allegation that Yahaya Bello conspired with others, including a Kogi State Government House Cashier, in September 2015, to convert the sum of 80 Billion.
“The news of the inclusion of his name in the Charge as usual was given wide publicity by the EFCC who still had not invited him but had described him as being at large.
“It was thus clear from the foregoing that the EFCC was out for mischief. A stage was being set to move in a gestapo manner to his home, lay siege there and violently arrest him with the aim of tarnishing his name and ruining his reputation as if he were a fugitive even though he was not invited,” the statement said.
Ohiare accused EFCC of violating the court order barring the agency from harassing the former governor.
“For the protection of his reputation, rights to presumption of innocence, liberty, and dignity of the human person, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, as a Law abiding Citizen, caused to be filed a Fundamental Rights Enforcement action in Suit No. HCL/68M/2024 between Alhaji Yahaya Bello v. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on the 8th day of February, 2024, at the High Court of Justice, Kogi State.
“The belief of the imminent dramatic arrest, which eventually occurred on the 17th of April 2024 in Abuja, was indeed predicted in paragraph 36(c) of the Affidavit in Support of the Originating Summons filed on the 8th of February 2024.
“Upon the above facts, particularly that he was to be investigated, invited, arrested, or prosecuted on an impossible allegation, the High Court granted him reprieve by restraining the EFCC from inviting, arresting, and prosecuting him, pending the determination of the Originating Motion for the enforcement of his fundamental rights. The said Order was served on the EFCC on the 12th day of February 2024,” the media office added.
