Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, reportedly escaped arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, with the assistance of his successor, Governor Usman Ododo.
The EFCC had mounted a siege at the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja, aiming to apprehend Bello over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud case, but their efforts were thwarted by Ododo, according to EFCC operatives.
Bello, who is wanted in connection with the large-scale fraud case, managed to evade the EFCC for the second time, thanks to Ododo’s actions. This incident mirrors a similar occurrence in April, when Governor Ododo reportedly helped Bello avoid arrest during another raid by EFCC operatives in Abuja.
On Wednesday, both Bello and Ododo had visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja. However, the commission later clarified that Bello was not taken into custody. EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, denied claims that Bello had been detained, despite earlier reports suggesting that the former governor had voluntarily turned himself in.
“Yahaya Bello has not been arrested. The Kogi State governor prevented operatives from doing their work yesterday, just like he did the other time. He took him away, and our men could not do anything because of the immunity he (Ododo) is enjoying,” an EFCC official said.
Governor Ododo’s status as a sitting governor grants him immunity from arrest, which also hinders the EFCC from taking direct action against him. This legal protection has raised concerns about the difficulty of apprehending high-profile figures, especially when state officials leverage their immunity to intervene.
The EFCC has yet to provide further updates on their efforts to apprehend Bello, and attempts to reach their spokesperson for additional comments were unsuccessful. Calls and messages to Dele Oyewale went unanswered.
Meanwhile, Ohaire Michael, the Director of Bello’s media team, also did not respond to inquiries. His phone number was reportedly switched off, and he had not replied to messages at the time of reporting.
The ongoing saga of Yahaya Bello’s evasion of arrest has drawn attention to the challenges faced by anti-corruption agencies in enforcing accountability, especially when political figures are involved. The public will be watching closely to see how the EFCC proceeds in its efforts to bring the former governor to justice amidst claims of political interference.