The media office of the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has released video footage of the former governor, accompanied by his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja, saying Yahaya Bello was denied entry despite his voluntary visit.
Tribune Online reports on Wednesday that Yahaya Bello, who was declared wanted by the anti-graft commission over allegations of corrupt practices to the tune of N80.2 billion, voluntarily showed up at the Abuja office of the EFCC.
Ohiare Michael, Director of Media for the former governor, in a statement, claimed that the EFCC operatives, in an attempt to subsequently arrest Yahaya Bello, surrounded the Kogi government lodge in Abuja and were “shooting sporadically”
The former governor’s spokesperson, however, added that the EFCC should be held responsible “if anything untoward happens to him.”
“It has come to our notice that people suspected to be operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are currently around the Kogi Government Lodge, Asokoro in an attempt to forcefully arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello. They were shooting sporadically.
“It was reported earlier that the former Governor went to the EFCC Office voluntarily earlier today but the Commission told him to leave and come at a later date, only to mount a gestapo-like attack on the Kogi State Government facility in Asokoro.
“We want to place it on record that the EFCC should be held accountable if anything untoward happens to him.
“Tonight’s attack was needless as the former Governor made himself available to the EFCC in their office for interrogation. The EFCC had no question to ask Alh. Yahaya Bello in the morning, but suddenly, they are out to arrest him.
“This action is condemnable. They have displayed the very reason many Nigerians believe they were fighting political battles instead of the mandate to fight corruption. This action reflects much more than the fight against corruption,” the statement partly reads.
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