Court Adjourns Without Yahaya Bello; EFCC Considers Military Assistance in Hunting Him Out
The case filed by the EFCC against Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, has been postponed until April 23rd by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
It is possible that Bello will be arraigned for alleged N84 billion in money laundering, and the adjournment is to allow for substituted service.
The EFCC’s lawyer, Kemi Phinro, stated that the former governor of Kogi State was granted immunity and thus was not required to appear in court for his arraignment.
According to Phinro, the ex-governor was dragged from his Abuja home by the person with immunity.
According to Phinro, the anti-graft agency is considering enlisting the military’s assistance in their pursuit of him in order to bring him to face his arraignment.
In response to this argument, Yahaya Bello informed the court through Abdulwahab Muhammad that the EFCC is prohibited from detaining or charging him due to a court order.
Muhammad stated that on February 9, 2024, the EFCC was rescinded from the former governor’s arrest and arraignment by a Kogi State High Court.
Also, he mentioned that the EFCC has decided to appeal the verdict, thus the Court of Appeal is still deliberating.
He made it clear that the EFCC’s actions violated the constitution and that the court did not have the authority to consider any charges brought by the agency.
However, the EFCC’s legal team had reservations about Bello’s response.
According to the EFCC’s legal team, the Kogi State High Court handed down its decision on the case’s merits on March 17, 2024.
He elaborated by saying that the court’s decision stated that the EFCC needs the court’s permission before it can arrest or arraign the former governor.
He clarified that the EFCC’s ex parte plea for the court to order the former governor’s detention was in accordance with that ruling.
On the other hand, Yahaya Bello’s legal team maintained in court that the ex-governor’s arrest warrant was issued outside of the court’s jurisdiction. According to him, the ex-governor is not on the run but is instead hiding out because the Kogi State High Court ordered him to.