Bello further stated that the agency properly served an injunction in February prohibiting them from arresting or prosecuting him pending the substantive litigation filed on his fundamental rights.
The Kogi State former governor, Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, described the attempts made by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest him as illegal and against a subsisting court order.
SaharaReporters earlier reported how the agency was able to track former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello to Abuja by outsmarting him on Wednesday.
The attempts to arrest Bello were related to the N84 billion fraud case against Yahaya which the anti-graft agency is currently prosecuting.
Reacting to these developments in a statement from his media office made available to journalists on Wednesday, the former governor maintained that EFCC was violating a subsisting court order.
Bello further stated that the agency properly served an injunction in February prohibiting them from arresting or prosecuting him pending the substantive litigation filed on his fundamental rights.
The statement reads: “About 9:30 am today, the 17th day of April 2024, persons who described themselves as officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrived the Wuse Zone 4 Residence of Alhaji Yahaya Bello to effect his arrest.
“This is despite a subsisting Order of injunction granted on 9th February 2024 by the High Court of Justice, Lokoja Division in Suit No. HCL/68M/2024 between Alhaji Yahaya Bello v. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, restraining the Commission either by itself or its agents from harassing, arresting, detaining or prosecuting Alhaji Yahaya Bello, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive fundamental rights enforcement action.
“The EFCC was duly served with that Order on 12th February 2024 and on 26th February 2024; the EFCC filed an Appeal (Appeal No.: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello) against the said Order to the Court of Appeal Abuja division.
“The Appeal was accompanied by a Motion for Stay of Execution of the Order of the High Court which the Court of Appeal adjourned for hearing till the 22nd day of April 2024.
“Furthermore, Judgment in the substantive case between Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the EFCC is to be delivered at 12 Noon today in Lokoja.
“Contrary to all of the above, the EFCC has now laid siege to the home of H.E Yahaya Bello seeking to arrest him in contravention of the extant orders!
“It is a surprise that an agency led by a lawyer could flagrantly disobey a subsisting court order by taking actions contrary to the reliefs granted.”
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