Fresh drama unfolded on Wednesday as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) attempted but failed to arrest former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, at the state government lodge in Abuja, where he was reportedly hiding. Despite surrounding the lodge, the EFCC operatives were unable to apprehend the ex-governor, who had earlier claimed he had honored the agency’s invitation to cooperate with its investigation.
Sources revealed that Governor Usman Ododo, Bello’s successor, has been shielding him from arrest, complicating the situation due to the immunity Ododo enjoys. The EFCC’s initial plan to arrest Bello in April had also been thwarted when he evaded capture with the help of the governor’s convoy. The anti-graft agency had declared Bello wanted in connection to an N80.2 billion money laundering case but remains cautious due to legal protections surrounding sitting governors.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, committed to upholding the rule of law, expressed concerns over Bello’s resistance and the legal immunity shielding him. Despite numerous attempts to detain him, the agency is reportedly reevaluating its strategy in a bid to secure the former governor’s arrest while maintaining procedural integrity.
