Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided the Abuja residence of former Kogi Governor, Yahaya Belloon Wednesday, as part of ongoing investigations into a money laundering case involving high-ranking officials from Kogi State....CONTINUE READING
The operation occurred despite a restraining order from a Kogi state high court against Bello’s arrest, highlighting a tense standoff between legal authorities and the anti-graft agency.
Abdulwahab Muhammed, counsel to Yahaya Bello, confirmed that his client was in Kogi State awaiting a judgment related to the restraining order when he was informed of the EFCC’s actions at his Benghazi Street home in Wuse Zone 4, where they restricted movement and cordoned off the area.
Speaking at the federal high court in Abuja during an hearing on Thursday, which Bello did not attend, Muhammed labeled the raid as “illegal and unconstitutional” and accused the court of being misled into issuing an arrest warrant against the former governor.
This development follows approximately a month after the EFCC implicated Yahaya Bello in an amended money laundering charge filed against Alli Bello, the Chief of Staff to the current Governor of Kogi, Usman Ododo, and one Daudu Suleiman.
The amended 17-count charge alleges that Bello diverted about N100 billion belonging to the Kogi government.
In response to these charges, the Kogi government has defended its financial integrity, stating that no funds were missing during Yahaya Bello’s administration.
The case continues to unfold, drawing significant attention to the governance and legal proceedings concerning former and current officials of Kogi State.
