By Timothy Samuel
Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is presently held at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s detention facilities in Abuja, according to reports
Bello was labeled as wanted by the anti-corruption agency in April for his alleged involvement in a N110 billion fraud, and he was eventually interrogated after numerous attempts to apprehend him and bring him to trial were unsuccessful.
The commission has been unable to summon the former Kogi governor to court for arraignment since bringing the accusations against him.
Bello and his nephews Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu were first charged by the commission with 19 counts of money laundering offenses totaling more than N80 billion.
On September 25, however, the charges were lowered to 16, and the total amount purportedly laundered increased to more than N110 billion.
It was claimed that he and the other defendants used the funds to purchase a total of twelve homes spread across Abuja.
The EFCC claimed that the offenses violated Section 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, and that they were punishable under Section 312 of the same law.Bello had petitioned Justice Emeka Nwite to halt his arraignment, but the judge denied his request on July 17.
Bello, unhappy with the decision, appealed to the Court of Appeal, but the decision was overturned.
On August 20, a three-member tribunal headed by Hamma Barka rejected Bello’s appeals and mandated that he turn himself up for trial.
His attempt to have his trial moved from the Federal High Court’s Abuja division to the Lokoja division was likewise unsuccessful.
Also, Bello’s successor, Usman Ododo, allegedly thwarted the commission’s attempts to arrest him.
Ododo is said to have helped Bello flee from EFCC agents in April when they raided his Abuja home.Bello allegedly rejected many invitations and defied arrest, leading the EFCC to proclaim him wanted in April.
There was a standoff as EFCC agents raided Bello’s Abuja home to make an arrest. The security personnel received backup assistance from the Department of State Services and the Police after hours of failing to secure their task.
When Bello’s successor, Governor Ododo, arrived on the scene, they were preparing to take Bello into custody by force. After a while, Ododo drove into Bello’s compound and left.
However, security personnel who had been on standby for hours allegedly opened fire on Bello as he was leaving when rumors circulated that he was in his car.
Additionally, it was stated that Bello escaped arrest by the anti-graft agency in September with the help of Ododo, his successor.
Bello and Ododo visited the EFCC headquarters before to the September incident.The spokesperson for the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, maintained that Bello was still wanted, despite the former Kogi State governor’s media team insisting he was at the EFCC’s facility.
However, according to Bello’s team, which was headed by director Ohiare Michael, Bello was at the EFCC office with his successor, Usman Ododo, but was told to leave after not being questioned by the agency.
We reported earlier today (September 18) that Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, voluntarily visited the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in response to the Commission’s invitation.
The statement partially stated, “We reaffirmed the former Governor’s strong regard for the rule of law and established authority and emphasized that throughout this time, he only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights to ensure due process.In its new case against Bello, the EFCC requested an extension until November 27 at the most recent hearing on November 14.
The EFCC claimed that the 30-day deadline for the previously issued summons was still open.
On October 3, the former governor received a public summons from Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory’s High Court in Maitama, Abuja, demanding him to appear in court to answer to a new 16-count allegation that the EFCC had filed against him and two other people.
Along with Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalam Hudu, the former governor was charged with criminal breach of trust in the case designated FCT/HC/CR/778/24, involving N110,446,470,089, among other allegations.On October 24, Bello was supposed to appear in court, but he didn’t.
The summons was then extended by the court to November 14. Bello was given until November 27 or would be arraigned in absentia at the final date that the matter before Justice Anenih was adjourned.
Bello received a public summons from the court to come before it and respond to the sixteen new allegations that are still outstanding against him.
Following the EFCC’s motion stating that it was unable to serve Bello with the charge filed on September 24, Justice Anenih issued the summons.The 30-day public summons period against the former governor would expire on November 17, according to EFCC attorney Jamiu Agoro, who told the court. He explained that the summons remained in effect.
Agoro contended that while the summons was still in force, it would not be proper to accept the defendants’ plea.
The prosecution would take proper action if the former governor did not show up at the next adjourned date, he stressed.
