Yahaya Bello ‘wins first battle against justice’ as Gov Ododo shields him against EFCC’s arrest
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
By being whisked away by Mr. Usman Ododo, his successor and allegedly stooge in office as Kogi State Governor, Mr. Yahaya Bello Wednesday is believed to have defeated justice at the first stage as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed in their siege to arrest him for alleged corruption.
The DEFENDER reports that the siege failed to arrest Bello, not because it was not well planned, but that the serving and immunity carrying successor to the former governor simply waded in and whisked him away from the residence thus shielding him against the process of being made to face justice over his actions of the past.
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This action by the governor was confirmed by a top source within the EFCC in Abuja, who reportedly preferred not to be named, according to Channels Television.
This was coming after operatives of the anti-graft agency had laid siege to the Wuse Zone 4 residence of the former Kogi governor for most part of Wednesday.
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The EFCC had cordoned off the road and entrance to Bello’s residence in an attempt to have him arrested and arraigned for corruption charges on Thursday.
As the EFCC operatives surrounded the ex-governor’s residence, his successor Ododo arrived amid cheers from the supporters of Bello who had gathered to support their embattled principal.
The Kogi State governor after a while left the premises of his predecessor, with the anti-graft agency confirming that he took Bello along with him.
This development now puts in doubt the ex-governor’s expected arraignment on a 19-count charge before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday.
Meanwhile, there was conflicting court order over the arrest of the Kogi former governor on Wednesday.
One of the rulings, which came from a Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja, restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining or prosecuting Bello.
Justice I.A Jamil, who gave the order in a two-hour ruling on Wednesday, said that infringing on the fundamental human rights of the former Kogi is null and void except as authorised by the Court.
“By this order, the EFCC is hereby restrained from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant except as authorised by the Court.
“This is a definite order following the earlier interim injunction given,” he said.
The EFCC, however, obtained permission from the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to arrest the ex-Kogi State governor in preparation to his arraignment on Thursday.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the warrant this afternoon at the instance of the EFCC.
Bello served as the governor of the North Central state from January 27, 2016 to January 27, 2024, when he handed over to his fellow party man in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Usman Ododo.
