Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have laid siege to the residence of former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, located at Wuse Zone 4 of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
According to eyewitness report, EFCC officials barricaded the ex-governor’s residence since 9am on Wednesday.
Recall that the anti-graft agency had earlier dragged Yahaya Bello, his nephew Ali, one Dauda Sulaiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in an amended charge in March 2024 over an alleged N84bn money laundering.
Reacting to the development, the ex-governor’s media office, in a statement, berated the operatives’ actions, urging President Bola Tinubu to caution the EFCC.
READ MORE: Kogi Faults EFCC Over ‘Funds Diversion’ Allegation Against Yahaya Bello
The statement reads: “The EFCC was duly served with that order on February 12, 2024, and on February 26, 2024, the EFCC filed an appeal (Appeal No.: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello) against the said order to the Court of Appeal Abuja Division. The appeal was accompanied by a Motion for a Stay of Execution of the order of the High Court, which the Court of Appeal adjourned for hearing till April 22, 2024.
“Furthermore, judgment in the substantive case between Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the EFCC will be delivered at 12 noon today in Lokoja.
“We are aware of the total commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s current administration to the rule of law and can say categorically that the EFCC leadership might have offered the agency on a platter of gold to desperate politicians to convert it to their score-settling tool without minding the effect on its integrity and the image of Nigeria as regards the rule of law.”
