Confusion As Nigeria’s EFCC Obtains Warrant To Arrest Ex-Kogi Gov Yahaya Bello As Another Court Bars Anti-Corruption Agency From Doing So

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to arrest the embattled former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

 

This comes as a Kogi State High Court in Lokoja granted an order restraining the anti-graft agency from arresting, detaining and prosecuting Bello.

 

SaharaReporters earlier on Wednesday reported that operatives of the EFCC had barricaded Bello’s house in Wuse, Abuja.

 

The siege came days after the former governor held a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House.

 

The agency is prosecuting the former governor over N84 billion fraud case.

The arrest warrant granted by Justice Nwite on Wednesday would enable the anti-graft agency to arraign the former governor on Thursday (tomorrow) before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over the fraud case against him.

 

Justice Nwite granted the EFCC the order to arrest Bello around the same time that Justice I. A. Jamil of Kogi State High Court IV issued an order barring the anti-graft agency from arresting Bello.

 

Delivering the judgement, the court held that infringing on the fundamental human rights of the former Kogi is null and void except as authorised by the court.

 

“By this order, the EFCC is hereby restrained from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant except as authorised by the court.

 

“This is a definite order following the earlier interim injunction given,” he said.

 

Bello had filed a case of a breach of his fundamental human rights by the agency before the state High Court.

In his application, the former governor had prayed for an order restraining the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting him unjustly.

 

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