Court Stops EFCC From Arresting, Prosecuting Yahaya Bello

A High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Wednesday restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting, detaining or prosecuting former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

Naija News reports that the court gave the directive in a two hour judgment delivered on Wednesday, at the High Court 4 and presided over by Hon. Justice I.A Jamil, in suit no HCL/68/M/2020.

Justice Jamil restrained the EFCC from infringing on the fundamental human rights of the applicant except as authorised by the Court. This is a definite order following the earlier interim injunction given.

Yahaya Bello had approached the court seeking to enforce his fundamental rights against the anti-graft agency.

The Court equally restrained the respondents from continuing to persecuting the Applicant.

The High Court had earlier dismissed the issue of jurisdiction as challenged by the EFCC.

The Applicant’s Counsel SA Abbas and MS Yusuf, described the judgment as landmark while the

Defendant Counsel, T.U Odima and Patrick O. Jibril also aligned themselves to the judgment, describing it as thorough.

Recall that the EFCC had on Wednesday morning laid siege to the Abuja residence of the former Kogi State Governor.

It was learned that the EFCC operatives laid the siege shortly after the former governor met with President Bola Tinubu at the State House.

An EFCC official, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, told Peoples Gazette that EFCC operatives tried to gain entry into the house but were denied access by Bello’s security personnel.