This is even as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday, besieged the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja in an attempt to arrest former governor Yahaya Bello.
The drama and controversy surrounding the ex-Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello’s corruption case has continued unabated.
This is even as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday, besieged the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja in an attempt to arrest former governor Yahaya Bello.
This came soon after Yahaya was stated to have visited the EFCC office.
The siege was announced by the Director of Yahaya Bello’s Media Office, Ohiare Michael, who 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.”
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.”
Yahaya Bello is involved in an alleged N80.2 billion corruption trial. He has been declared wanted by the anti-graft agency, after he failed to honor invitations.
Sources told SaharaReporters that Bello was allowed to leave EFCC custody due to political pressure.
Earlier on Wednesday, following Bello’s visit to the EFCC, SaharaReporters reported that there was mounting pressure on the anti-corruption agency to release former Kogi State governor.
Bello has since been declared wanted by the anti-corruption agency over alleged money laundering.
SaharaReporters earlier exclusively reported that EFCC on Wednesday succumbed to pressure and therefore could not detain Bello when he visited the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Bello had previously been declared wanted over allegations of money laundering and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion. However, he finally honoured the EFCC’s invitation, accompanied by Kogi Governor Usman Ododo and others.
Meanwhile, his visit to the EFCC was subsequently plagued by controversy with the spokesperson for the anti-graft agency denying reports that the former governor was in their custody.
“The Commission wishes to state that Bello is not in its custody,” he said, adding that Bello “remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest”.
However, the director of Bello’s media team, Ohiare Michael, swiftly responded that his principal indeed visited the EFCC office but was asked to leave with being interrogated.
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 in order 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.”