Kogi N80bn fraud: We didn’t disobey court order trying to arrest Yahaya Bello – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday denied disobeying a court order over the botched arrest of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.

On February 9, a Kogi State Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja had restrained EFCC agents from harassing, arresting, detaining or prosecuting Bello pending the hearing and determination of the substantive fundamental rights enforcement action.

This followed EFCC’s investigation into alleged over N80 billion fraud involving the former governor and three others.

Despite the court ruling, EFCC had invaded bello’s residence in Abuja in an attempt to arrest him but failed.

Reacting, EFCC’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said though Bello sought refuge in a fundamental rights enforcement action through an order granted by Justice Isa Jamil Abdulallahi of the Kogi State High Court, the “order did not vitiate or nullify an order made by the Federal High Court for the arrest of the former governor for the purpose of his arraignment.”

In a statement, Uwajaren said the anti-graft agency had a shining track record in the prosecution of politically exposed persons and would continue to exercise its mandate.

He admonished Bello to turn himself in and answer to the charges preferred against him by the Commission.

According to Uwajaren: “Against the backdrop of arguments and counter-arguments on whether the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has disobeyed a court order concerning the botched arrest of former governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Adoza Bello, the Commission has denied disobeying any court order in this regard.

“The enrolled order of the Kogi State High Court only granted an order to enforce Bello’s right to personal liberty and freedom of movement, it didn’t preclude the Federal High Court ‘to make any order as it may deem just in the determination of the rights of the applicant and the respondent as may be submitted to her for consideration and determination.

“The Order made by the Federal High Court for the arrest of Mr. Yahaya Bello for the purpose of his arraignment is not in conflict with the Order of the Kogi State High Court. The case before the Federal High Court is a criminal charge which is different from the fundamental rights enforcement action that is the subject of an appeal.”