- AGF: Yahaya Bello, Ododo’s Actions Put Nigeria in Bad Light at the global stage.
By Abiola Olawale
The Federal Government has weighed in on the tussle between the former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
This is as the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called on Bello to follow the path of decency and submit himself to the EFCC for probe of corruption allegations against him.
The New Diplomat reports that the operatives of the EFCC had gone out all out on Wednesday, laying siege at Bello’s residence in Abuja, in an attempt to arrest him ahead of his arraignment before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
However, his successor, the incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo helped him evade the planned arrest.
Reacting to the events in the last hours, the AGF in a statement he personally signed on Thursday said that the EFCC is empowered by law to invite any Nigerian for interrogation.
He also described the action of the Ododo, who used his immunity to prevent Bello’s arrest on Wednesday as ‘disquieting’, adding that embarking on a temporizing self-help and escapism that can only put Nigeria in a bad light before the rest of the world is not the way to go.
According to him, he stands for the rule of law and will ensure no right of any Nigerian is trampled upon.
The statement reads: “The bizarre drama confronting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the course of its efforts to perform its statutory duty has come to my notice (Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice) as a matter of very grave concern.
“It is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigation into any matter regardless of status. Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting. A flight
from the law does not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbates it.
“I state unequivocally that I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC and indeed any other agency to order when there is indication of any transgression of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies but I also tenaciously hold the view that institutions of State should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently. Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I, therefore, encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honoring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporizing self-help and escapism that can only put our country in a bad light before the rest of the world.”
It would be recalled that the EFCC had earlier dragged the former governor, 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.
In the amended charges, the EFCC alleged that the suspects diverted about N84 billion belonging to the Kogi state government.
