Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday reported himself to the Headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nigeria anti-corruption agency that has declared the former governor wanted over alleged corrupt practices while he was in office as Kogi State governor, an action that has made the suspect to go into hiding for months.

The fugitive decision of Yahaya Bello has sparked reactions among members of the public for months, with some, at certain intervals, do make mockery of the anti-corruption commission of not being able to locate and arrest the fleeing Kogi State former governor who was said to be hiding inside the Kogi State Government House.

A statement issued by the spokesperson of  the former governor, indicated that, the former governor decided to go out of hiding based on advices from family and political associates on the ground that he has nothing to fear.

“Former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello today, honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

This decision was made after due consultations with his family, legal team and political allies.

The former Governor, who has great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority, had, all the while, only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights in order to ensure due process.

The case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing. It is important for the former Governor to now honour the invitation of the EFCC to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear.

The former Governor believes firmly in the efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to place Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic development; and supports the fight against corruption in the country.

It is on record that he was the first Governor of Kogi State to put in place an anti-corruption mechanism to check graft and ensure that the resources of the State work for the people of the State.

He was accompanied to the EFCC Headquarters by high profile Nigerians.

It is our hope that the Commission will be as professional as necessary and respect his fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Details of his engagement with the operatives of the Anti-Graft Agency will be disclosed later”, Ohiare Michael,
Director, Yahaya Bello Media Office stated.

We had earlier in July reported that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sent the lawyers of the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC for investigation following their actions in handling the case of ₦80.2 billion alleged fraud committed by the former governor.

According to news statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the court asked the LPDC to investigate the lawyers who are Senior Advocate of Nigeria for misconduct for failing to produce Yahaya Bello in court.

The news release reads in quote below thus: “Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 turned down an application by a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello seeking a stay of proceedings and stalling of his arraignment in the alleged ₦80.2 billion money laundering charge instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Also, the court has asked the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, to investigate Bello’s counsel, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN and Adeola Adedipe, SAN, for professional misconduct for reneging on their undertakings to produce the former governor for arraignment.

The court had on June 27, 2024 slated Wednesday for ruling on an application by the EFCC’s lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro , SAN, praying the court to hold Mohammed and Adedipe for contempt of court at the resumed session of the court on Wednesday.

Mohammed tried frantically to persuade the court to allow stay of proceedings arguing that appeals have been entered at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.

Both prosecution and defence counsels held the court in fiery arguments over the ruling.

Pinheiro submitted that Bello’s lawyers were only trying to “arrest” the ruling meant for Wednesday on their failed undertakings to produce their client for arraignment.

He cited several authorities to establish the fact that since the matter brought before the appellate court had not been determined, the trial court should not halt proceedings on the matter before it.

Ruling on the EFCC’s application to hold Mohammed and Adedipe for contempt of the court in view of their failure to honour the undertakings they made to produce the former governor for arraignment, Justice Nwite asked the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC to investigate the two senior lawyers for professional misconduct.

He stressed that Bello’s lawyers failed to bring their client for arraignment against their assurances and undertakings before the court.

“Ordinarily, I would have taken this matter headon, 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.

The judge also initially refused to grant the application of withdrawal of services to Bello by Adedipe.

However, after passionate appeals by Pinheiro, he granted it but directed Adedipe to make a formal application before the court to that effect.

Meanwhile, Abdulwahab said he would try to bring Bello to court on the next adjourned date, though without taking any undertaking to that effect.

Pinhero informed the court that the prosecution on its part would make the necessary arrangement to bring the former governor to court as the EFCC was making efforts to liaise with other sister security agencies to “extract the defendant from the Kogi State Government house where he is hibernating”.

Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter till September 25, 2024 for arraignment.

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 ₦80,246,470,089.88 kobo only”.