N84bn fraud: EFCC lay siege to Yahaya Bello’s house in Abuja

The operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have stormed the residence of the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in Abuja over alleged N84 billion fraud.

The Star had reported that the EFCC on March 14, 2024, dragged Bello before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in the Maitama area of Abuja for alleged N84 billion money laundering offences.

The former governor was charged alongside his nephew, Ali Bello; and Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalam Hudu.

However, it was gathered that the officers of the anti-graft agency laid siege to Bello’s house located in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, on Wednesday, April 17.

The reason behind the siege on Bello’s home could not be immediately ascertained.

Reacting to the development, the ex-governor’s media office, in a statement, condemned the EFCC operatives’ action, describing it as a violation of the court order which restrained the anti-graft agency from harassing and arresting Bello.

Bello’s media office said: “The EFCC was duly served with that order on February 12, 2024, and on February 26, 2024, the EFCC filed an appeal (Appeal No.: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello) against the said order to the Court of Appeal Abuja Division. The appeal was accompanied by a Motion for a Stay of Execution of the order of the High Court, which the Court of Appeal adjourned for hearing till April 22, 2024.

“Furthermore, judgement in the substantive case between Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the EFCC will be delivered at 12 noon today in Lokoja.

“Contrary to all of the above, the EFCC has now laid siege to the home of H.E Yahaya Bello, seeking to arrest him in contravention of the extant orders.

“It is a surprise that an agency led by a lawyer could flagrantly disobey a subsisting court order by taking actions contrary to the reliefs granted.

“We are aware of the total commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s current administration to the rule of law and can say categorically that the EFCC leadership might have offered the agency on a platter of gold to desperate politicians to convert it to their score-settling tool without minding the effect on its integrity and the image of Nigeria as regards the rule of law.”