“I therefore lend my voice with other prominent Nigerians calling on the Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to effect the immediate arrest and prosecution of police officers, who had impeded the lawful arrest of Yahaya Bello by the EFCC operatives in his Abuja residences”.
Oladele, who was Chairman House Committee on Financial Crimes also cautioned Nigerian judges against granting spurious injunctions to impede criminal investigations, emphasizing that their actions are capable of damaging the reputation and undermining the integrity of the nation’s judicial system.
According to him, “any High Court injunction, purportedly granted to restrain EFCC from lawfully arresting and prosecuting former Governor Yahaya Bello is a clear contravention of Section 35(1) (c) of the Nigerian Constitution which states that the police, anti-graft agencies and other prosecutorial bodies cannot be prevented by a court of law from arresting and prosecuting a criminal suspect, regardless of status on a reasonable evidence that he or she has committed a criminal offence.
“Nigerian judiciary, as the last hope of common man, provides the pillar for the survival of democracy and promotion of rule of law in the country and I call on the distinguished members of the Bar and the Bench, to at all times strive to maintain and sustain the inviolability and fidelity of the nation’s judicial system”.
Recall that the anti-graft agency had earlier dragged Yahaya Bello, his nephew Ali, one Dauda Sulaiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in an amended charge in March 2024 over an alleged N84bn money laundering.
The EFCC operatives last week, laid siege on Yayaha Bello’s residence in Abuja to effect his arrest for questioning on the alleged ₦84 billion theft case, but he escaped.