- Safiu Kehinde
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has allegedly stormed Kogi Lodge in Abuja in an effort to arrest Yahaya Bello.
This was disclosed in a statement by the ex-Kogi governor’s media aide, Ohiare Michael, on Thursday.
According to Ohiare, the EFCC Operatives, in an attempt to forcefully arrest Yahaya Bello, are presently at the lodge shooting sporadically.
He recalled that the ex- governor, who was alleged of N80.2 billion fraud, had earlier today turned himself over to the EFCC for interrogation which the anti-graft failed to perform as some its official reportedly permitted the ex- governor to leave.
However, EFCC would later deny having Yahaya Bello in custody, maintaining silence over his presence at their headquarters earlier today as they reaffirmed his wanted status.
Meanwhile, Ohiare condemned the alleged invasion of the Kogi Lodge, noting that the Anti-graft should be held accountable if anything happens to the ex- governor.
The statement read in part; “It has come to our notice that people suspected to be operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are currently around the Kogi Government Lodge, Asokoro in an attempt to forcefully arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello. They were shooting sporadically.
“It was reported earlier that the former Governor went to the EFCC Office voluntarily earlier today but the Commission told him to leave and come at a later date, only to mount a gestapo-like attack on the Kogi State Government facility in Asokoro.
“We want to place it on record that the EFCC should be held accountable if anything untoward happens to him.
“Tonight’s attack was needless as the former Governor made himself available to the EFCC in their office for interrogation. The EFCC had no question to ask Alh. Yahaya Bello in the morning, but suddenly, they are out to arrest him.
“This action is condemnable. They have displayed the very reason many Nigerians believe they were fighting political battles instead of the mandate to fight corruption. This action reflects much more than the fight against corruption.