The drama that followed the move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, April 17, has continued to dominate discussions in the Nigerian media space.
The EFCC operatives were obstructed by some police officers and supporters of the former governor as the anti-graft agency laid siege at the residence of Yahaya Bello at Zone 4 in Abuja in a bid to arrest him.
For over 10 hours, the former governor, popularly referred to as the “White Lion,” could not leave his house until the arrival of his successor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, who allegedly aided Bello’s escape.
As the EFCC declared on Thursday, April 18, Bello is a wanted person. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Department of State Service (DSS) have also placed the former governor on their watchlist.
The Punch reported that the anti-graft agency is moving to prosecute the former governor on 19 charges of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds worth N80.2 billion.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyode, has vowed to step down as the chairman of the anti-graft agency if he cannot prosecute Yahaya Bello.
Olukoyode added that his administration would ensure that all those who obstructed Bello’s arrest face the wrath of the law.
However, some former governors have criticised Bello’s move to evade arrest and respect due process. TimesNow.com.ng examines some of them below:
Oshiomhole, a former governor of Edo state and one-time national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), condemned the former governor of Kogi state’s attempt to evade arrest.
The ex-governor also berated Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi state over his alleged move to shield his predecessor from being arrested by the EFCC.
The senator made the comment while reacting to the comment by Sokoto-based cleric Bishop Matthew Kukah.
In a video of the former governor that surfaced online, he said:
Below is the video:
The former governor of Benue state is another ex-governor who tackled Bello for allegedly abusing due process.
At a thanksgiving service organised by his aide in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, Ortom called on Bello to come out of hiding and answer questions before the anti-graft agency.
Ortom, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), maintained that the operatives of the EFCC are human beings and that the former Kogi governor should stop disgracing the league of ex-governors by running away from being questioned.
His statement reads in part:
TimesNow.com.ng earlier reported that the EFCC laid a siege at the Abuja home of the former Kogi governor.
Bello’s residence on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, in Abuja, was captured in a video bombarded with the officers of the anti-graft agency.
