The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn its operatives from the residence of the former Kogi governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, due to allegations of fraud.
On Wednesday, EFCC operatives had set up surveillance around Bello’s residence at No. 9 Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, with the apparent intention of arresting him.
The operatives withdrew shortly after the current Governor, Usmaan Ododo, who had visited, left the premises around 4:30 p.m.
However, it was unclear whether Ododo, who arrived at the governor’s residence with his convoy at about 2:30 p.m., met with the former governor or left without him.
The withdrawal of the operatives of EFCC was as a result of court order, which restraint the commission from arresting, detaining or prosecuting the former Kogi governor.
A High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi had on Wednesday restrained the EFCC from infringing on the fundamental human rights of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, former Kogi State Governor.
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, the court restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant except as authorised by the Court.
This is a definite order following the earlier interim injunction given.
The judgment followed the suit brought before the court by Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the applicant, seeking to enforce his fundamental rights against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Court equally restrained the respondents from continuing to persecute the Applicant.
Earlier in the judgment, the Court 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.
