There were sporadic gunshots in the Asokoro district of the Federal Capital Territory last night September 18, as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) attempted to arrest former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, at the State governor’s lodge.
They came up against strong resistance from security operatives at the governor’s lodge.
In the ensuing confusion and chaos, the incumbent Kogi governor, Ahmed Ododo, allegedly whisked Bello away.
It would be recalled that there were claims and counterclaims about the status of the former governor, whether he surrendered or was arrested.
Bello’s media team had on Wednesday morning released a statement claiming Bello surrendered to EFCC in their office.
The agency later released a statement denying the claim and saying that the former governor was still a wanted person.
The former governor’s team responded with a picture of him at the head office of the EFCC with Ododo and other men.
The team insisted the former governor was at EFCC and only left when there was nobody to attend to him.
The Nation later reported that a source in the agency admitted that Yahaya Bello was indeed at the commission but was not attended to as he came in a convoy with his successor.
The EFCC source told the publication that Bello breached the protocol of the commission by coming in a convoy with an incumbent governor.
“Upon realising that Bello came with the governor and some dignitaries, the Executive Chairman directed that no official should attend to him. His manner of coming to EFCC was a breach of our protocol. No Nigerian, no matter how highly placed, is expected to come for an invitation in a convoy of vehicles and with a sitting governor.
To the EFCC, he came with grandeur which is contrary to our procedures. There are stages of documentation which Bello skipped because he was with the governor who has immunity.
The EFCC also did not invite the governor. So, what was the basis for accompanying Bello to our headquarters in Abuja?
We have not been comfortable with the roles of the governor in this case. After fulfilling all procedures of documentation, Bello was expected to come with his lawyer(s) and not a governor or Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).
We cannot be intimidated or subject our system to political pollution. This made the Executive Chairman of EFCC to direct that no official should attend to Bello. He must undergo due process like every invitee.
The commission was unhappy with the pre-emptive propaganda in the media by Bello’s team which had created false impressions.
There was a narration that the ex-governor was already in EFCC’s custody.”
Watch the video from the attempted arrest of the former governor here
