EFCC declares Bello wanted over alleged N80.2b fraud

Always respect court orders, CSOs advise anti-graft agencies
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, declared immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, wanted.

It said the 48-year-old is being wanted for alleged offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 billion.

The anti-graft agency called on Nigerians with information as to his whereabouts to report immediately to the commission or the nearest police station.

IN a related development, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and human rights crusaders have advised the EFCC not to desecrate the courts in the course of carrying out its constitutional role of fighting corruption.

They cautioned other anti-graft agencies against trampling on the rights of supposed suspects to avoid breaking a law to enforce another.

The activists, who spoke at a press briefing in Lagos, noted specifically that the recent public face-off between the EFCC Bello in Abuja, was “both unnecessary and unfortunate.”

Executive Chairman of Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), who addressed the press, suggested that the rush by the EFCC to make an arrest when the Court of Appeal’s hearing on its application to vacate the restraining order in a few days, might give credence to allegations of political persecution.

“Mr. Olukoyede is my friend. But if he begins to trample on the rule of law, then that’s the terminal point of our friendship,” Adeniran said.

The CSOs observed that the EFCC’s action on Wednesday was “tantamount to the agency preempting the outcome of its appeal and also violating a subsisting and valid court order to pause action pending the determination of the case before it, adding: “Our layman’s understanding is that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot assume superiority over another.”

Gbenga Soloki of the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence, who also spoke, said civil societies in Nigeria would protest vehemently against any attempt to use the military to arrest an individual who had not been accused of treason.

The CSOs urged the EFCC to fight, prevent and prosecute corruption cases strictly within the ambit of the law set up to regulate the interaction between them and corruption suspects.

They noted that laws, including the Nigerian criminal justice system regulations and court processes, were meant to be obeyed non-selectively by both state and non-state actors.