Security Agencies ‘Extract’ Wanted Yahaya Bello From Kogi Govt House
A lawyer for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disclosed that the agency is working with other security agencies to extract former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello from Government House in Lokoja, the state capital.
Bello is facing prosecution alongside his nephew, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu on 19-count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80.2 billion.
As part of its ongoing investigation, the anti-graft agency had stormed Bello’s residence in Abuja, in an attempt to arrest him.
But Governor Usman Ododo subsequently arrived at Bello’s residence and prevented the anti-graft agency from picking up his former boss.
EFCC later declared Bello’s whereabouts unknown and placed him on a watchlist.
However, EFCC’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), informed the court on Wednesday that the prosecution on its part would make the necessary arrangement to bring the former governor to court.
Pinheiro stated that the commission was making efforts to liaise with other sister security agencies to “extract the defendant from the Kogi State Government House where he is hibernating”.
Also on Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja asked the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to investigate Bello’s lawyers for professional misconduct.
The lawyers, Abdulwahab Mohammed (SAN) and Adeola Adedipe (SAN) were accused of reneging on their undertakings to produce the former governor for arraignment.
Justice Nwite affirmed that the two senior lawyers failed to bring their client for arraignment against their assurances and undertakings before the court.
“Ordinarily, I would have taken this matter head-on, but I would prefer to refer the matter to the Legal Practitioner’s Disciplinary Committee to propose necessary recommendation and necessary sanctions against the counsels,” he said.
