Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has condemned the obstruction of the arrest of the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the current Governor of the state, Usman Ododo.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had on Wednesday traced Bello to his residence in Abuja to arrest him for an alleged diversion of an estimated N100 billion belonging to the state. But Ododo got the information about the arrest and came to his rescue to prevent the Commission from arresting Bello.
Responding to the unfortunate incident, Fagbemi said Ododo shouldn’t have prevented EFCC from arresting Bello.
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In a press statement, Fagbemi lamented saying: “A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is, to say the least, insufferably disquieting.
“A flight from the law does not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbates it.
“I state unequivocally that I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC and indeed any other agency to order when there is indication of any transgression of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies but I also tenaciously hold the view that institutions of State should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.”