The former Governor of kogi state, Yahaya Adoza Bello has been entangled in a messy battle with Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of graft and counter accusation of political witch-hunt.
Shortly after handing over power on the 27th January, 2024, former Governor, Yahaya Bello was alleged by the EFCC to have “stolen” over 80 billion naira in September 2015, four months before he officially took over power as Governor of the State.
Nigerians were shocked at the figures and timing. Bello’s lawyers, sensing political witch-hunt, approached a State High Court to protect him from being arrested, victimized or harassed by the EFCC. The court granted an interim injunction, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Aggrieved by the action of Bello against it, the agency swiftly filed an appeal before an Appeal Court to vacate the interim injunction.
While awaiting the determination of the appeal and given that the State High Court had granted the prayers of Bello in its ruling on the substantive suit, the agency decided to take laws into its hands by moving to arrest the former Governor in his home in Abuja.
While lawyers have been at loggerheads as to the propriety or otherwise of the action, the agency decided to withdraw its suit before the Appeal Court and went ahead to amend the charges against the former Governor by claiming the 80 billion naira stolen was done in February 2016, less than three weeks into his first term in office.
