By Babs Oyetoro
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has advised the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to turn himself into the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement yesterday, Fagbemi said the EFCC has statutory powers “to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigation into any matter regardless of status.”
Bello, who faces N80.2bn money laundering charges, refused to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday where he was expected to take his plea.
In a bid to arrest him on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency had on Wednesday laid siege to Bello’s residence in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, for several hours.
The operatives were unable to carry out the court-ordered arrest as a result of the stiff resistance they faced from the police personnel guarding the house.
The incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, later showed up at the house during the police-EFCC stand-off.
He was believed to have later departed the residence in his official vehicle with Mr Bello.
Bello failed to appear in court for his scheduled arraignment on Thursday, but his lawyers were present.
However, the Minister of Justice in a statement condemned the former governor’s conduct of refusing to submit himself for trial.
He described the stand-off between the EFCC and police personnel as a matter of “grave concern.”
Fagbemi said the EFCC has statutory powers “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.
“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 honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism that can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world.”
*Ex-Kogi declared wanted by anti-graft agency
Meanwhile, the EFCC yesterday declared Yahaya Bello wanted for an alleged financial crime to the tune of N80.2bn.
The anti-corruption agency called on those with vital information about the former Kogi governor’s whereabouts to reach the commission or the police.
According to the statement released on its official Facebook, the EFCC said, “Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCC for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2bn,” the EFCC said on its Facebook page it titled: Ex-Gov Yahaya Bello Wanted By the EFCC.
“Anybody with information as to his whereabouts should report immediately to the Commission or the nearest police Station.”
The anti-graft agency also warned that it might employ military intervention to locate and apprehend the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, who has been evading arrest.
Over the past weeks, the commission and the ex-governor have played a cat-and-mouse game.
Despite attempting to arrest Bello at his Abuja residence, the EFCC faced obstacles preventing his apprehension.
Reports suggest that the ex-governor might have sought refuge in the Kogi State Government House, taking advantage of Governor Ahmed Ododo’s immunity under Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution.
During the proceedings yesterday, the EFCC’s Counsel, Mr Kemi Pinheiro, stated to the court that the commission is committed to ensuring Bello faces trial, even if involving the military to apprehend him.
