Alleged ₦84 billion Theft: Oladele Counsels Yahaya Bello To Submit Self to EFCC …Cautioned Nigerian judges against granting spurious injunctions

Alleged ₦84 billion Theft: Oladele Counsels Yahaya Bello To Submit Self to EFCC …Cautioned Nigerian judges against granting spurious injunctions
By Adetokunbo FAKEYE
Nigeria – An international Human rights lawyer and former Chief of Staff to Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Hon. Kayode Oladele  has counseled the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to toe the line of honor by submitting himself to EFCC for proper investigations on the alleged ₦84 billion theft rather than embarking on acts of impunity.
Oladele, who was reacting to the face-off between the anti-corruption agency and Bello, Oladele said, “the former governor of Kogi State, Bello no longer enjoys immunity, as there is no past governor in Nigeria that enjoys life immunity from prosecution and therefore should honorably submit himself to the rule of law.
“Unfortunately, he can only run, he cannot hide. The long arm of the law will eventually catch up with him.
“What the former governor is doing, without mincing words, is a gross violation of Nigeria’s constitution and promotion of a dangerous culture of impunity. It is also tantamount to setting a bad precedence in the country.

“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.

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