17th April, 2024
By Isaac Aregbesola
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn its operatives from the home of former governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, over alleged fraud.
The EFCC operatives had on Wednesday mounted surveillance around the home of Bello at No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, apparently to effect his arrest.
The EFCC operatives retreated shortly after the sitting Gov Usman Ododo, who paid him a visit departed around 4.30.pm.
It was, however, not clear whether Ododo, who had arrived the premises of the governor with his convoy around 2.30pm went with the former governor or left him behind.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the withdrawal of the operatives of EFCC was as a result of court order, which restrained the commission from arresting, detaining or prosecuting the former Kogi governor
A High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi had on Wednesday restrained the EFCC from infringing on the fundamental human rights of Yahaya Bello, former Kogi State Governor.
In a two-hour judgment delivered on Wednesday, at the High Court 4 and presided over by Hon. Justice I.A Jamil, in suit No. HCL/68/M/2020, the court restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant except as authorised by the Court.
This is a definite order following the earlier interim injunction given.
The judgment followed the suit brought before the court by Yahaya Bello, the applicant, seeking to enforce his fundamental rights against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Court equally restrained the respondents from continuing to persecute the Applicant.
Earlier in the judgment, the Court dismissed the issue of jurisdiction as challenged by the EFCC.