Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has countered former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello’s assertion that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disobeyed Kogi State High Court orders by attempting to arrest and arraign him before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a statement issued by Falana on Friday, he argued that the EFCC had indeed complied with the Kogi State High Court order by filing charges of money laundering amounting to over N80 billion against Bello. Falana emphasized that the subsequent order from the Federal High Court for Bello’s arrest and arraignment aligns with the directive of the Kogi State High Court.
Falana stated
“It is evident that the Kogi State High Court issued an order to safeguard Mr. Yahaya Bello’s fundamental rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement. This order was made ‘without prejudice to the power of the said Federal High Court, to make any Order as it may deem just in the determination of the rights of the Applicant and the Respondent as may be submitted to her for consideration and determination.'”
“The Kogi State High Court explicitly directed the EFCC to present before the Federal High Court, or any other appropriate court, any criminal charges, allegations, or complaints regarding offenses believed to have been committed by the Applicant,” Falana continued.
“Therefore, by bringing charges of money laundering totaling over N80 billion against Mr. Yahaya Bello before the Federal High Court, the EFCC has dutifully adhered to the Kogi State High Court’s order. Similarly, the Federal High Court’s order for the arrest of Mr. Yahaya Bello for his arraignment aligns with the directive of the Kogi State High Court.”
Falana’s clarification follows the recent EFCC attempt to arrest Bello over allegations of an N80.2 billion fraud. Meanwhile, the former governor, facing these accusations, has been placed on the watch list of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), with all police officers previously assigned to him withdrawn by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
