Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday, beseiged the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja in an attempt to arrest former govenor, Yahaya Bello.
The Director of Yahaya Bello’s Media Office, Ohiare Michael, raised the alarm in a statement on Wednesday night, titled, “Despite voluntary visit, EFCC officials surround Kogi Government Lodge, Abuja in an attempt to forcefully arrest former governor Yahaya Bello, fire gunshots.”
Earlier in the day, the ex-governor’s media team and the anti-graft agency were engaged in a verbal dispute over the controversial visit of the ex-governor to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
A statement on Wednesday by Bello’s media team said the ex-governor finally surrendered himself and visited the EFCC headquarters months after being declared wanted by the anti-graft agency over an alleged N80.2bn fraud.
Michael said Bello went to the EFCC headquarters voluntarily to clear his name but the anti-graft agency refused to attend to him.
But the spokesman for the EFCC, in a statement, insisted that Bello was not in the custody of the anti-graft agency.
In their Wednesday night state, Bello’s media office raised the alarm about attempt by EFCC operatives to arrest Bello at the Kogi Government Lodge in Abuja.
Michale said, “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 Alhaji 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 PUNCH reports that the EFCC preferred 19 charges against the former Kogi governor alongside his nephew, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu, for money laundering offences amounting to N80,246,470,088.88.
After failed attempts to arrest and arraign him, the EFCC in April declared the former Kogi governor wanted.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on August 20 ordered Bello to surrender himself for arraignment.
However, on Wednesday, Michael said the ex-governor honoured the EFCC invitation after consultation with his legal team and political associates. Michael added that Bello had nothing to hide.
Reacting, the anti-graft agency’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, denied that the former governor was in its custody, adding that Bello remained wanted.
Oyewale said, “Media reports today that a former governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello, is in the holding facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is incorrect. The commission wishes to state that Bello is not in its custody. Bello, already declared wanted by the commission for alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges, remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest.”
The EFCC’s statement contradicted the one released by Michael, which claimed that the former governor had voluntarily honoured the anti-graft agency’s invitation.
But Bello’s team, in another statement by its director, said Bello was at the EFCC office alongside his successor, Usman Ododo. Michael alleged that the EFCC did not interrogate him and told him he could leave.
Michael said, “Earlier today, we reported the voluntary visit of former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission office to honour the commission’s invitation.
“In the statement, we reiterated the former governor’s great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority and stressed that all the while, he only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights to ensure due process.
“The EFCC did not, however, interrogate him as officials told him he could leave. We don’t know what this means yet. As we write, Yahaya Bello has left the EFCC office. He was accompanied there by the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo.
“Recall that the case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing. The former governor decided to honour the invitation to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear.”
