The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has finally arrested the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, today.
This comes as his team stated that the former governor voluntarily honored an earlier invitation sent to him by the anti-corruption commission and appeared at the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
The team also mentioned that Bello arrived at the commission’s office accompanied by his lawyers.
However, sources within the commission disclosed that the former governor was actually arrested by EFCC operatives.
The arrest was confirmed by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, who said the former governor was taken into custody at 12:54 PM today. Oyewale declined to reveal the exact location of Bello’s arrest.
When asked if Bello had voluntarily presented himself to the EFCC, Oyewale said, “Suffice to say that we arrested him at 12:54 PM, and he is in our custody right now.”
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Justice Maryanne Anenih of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, Abuja, had issued a public summons on October 3, requiring the former governor to appear before the court to face a fresh 16-count charge brought against him and two others by the EFCC.
In the case marked FCT/HC/CR/778/24, the former governor is accused of criminal breach of trust involving the sum of N110,446,470,089, among other charges. He is charged alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu.
Bello was ordered to appear before the court on October 24, which he failed to do. The court subsequently extended the summons to November 14.
At the last adjourned date, Bello again failed to appear in court.
EFCC counsel Jamiu Agoro informed the court that the 30-day duration of the public summons issued against the former governor would lapse on November 17. He clarified that the summons was still valid.
Agoro argued that it would be inappropriate to take the plea of the defendants while the summons remained in effect. He added that the former governor was expected to appear at the next adjourned date, failing which the prosecution would take appropriate action.
Agoro also requested the court to extend the time within which Bello must appear and to issue an order for the hearing notice to be pasted at his last known address, Number 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Justice Anenih subsequently adjourned the case to tomorrow, Wednesday, November 27.
