EFCC loses bid to arrest, detain, prosecute ex-Kogi Gov, Yahaya Bello

…Says Ododo was whisked Bello away

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been restrained from infringing on the fundamental human rights of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, former Kogi State Governor.

In a two-hour judgment delivered on Wednesday at the High Court 4 and presided over by Hon. Justice I.A Jamil, in suit no HCL/68/M/2020, the court restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant except as authorised by the Court. This is a definite order following the earlier interim injunction given.

The judgment followed the suit brought before the court by Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the applicant, seeking to enforce his fundamental rights against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The Court equally restrained the respondents from continuing to persecute the Applicant.

Earlier in the judgement, the Court dismissed the issue of jurisdiction as challenged by the EFCC.

The Applicant’s Counsel SA Abbas and MS Yusuf, described the judgment as landmark while the Defendant Counsel, T.U Odima and Patrick O. Jibril also aligned themselves to the judgment, describing it as thorough.

Meanwhile, a top EFCC official (name withheld), according to Channels Television, said Yahaya Bello was whisked away from his Abuja residence by his successor, Governor Usman Ododo.

This comes after operatives of the anti-graft agency had laid siege to the Wuse Zone 4 residence of the former Kogi governor for most part of Wednesday.

The EFCC had cordoned off the road and entrance to Bello’s residence in an attempt to have him arrested and arraigned for corruption charges on Thursday.

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