Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello is at the center of controversy following reports that he evaded arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday.
The incident allegedly occurred with the assistance of his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, who is said to have leveraged his position to prevent the arrest.
The EFCC had reportedly surrounded the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja, seeking to apprehend Bello in connection with an alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud case.
Despite their efforts, it is claimed that Ododo facilitated Bello's escape, citing his immunity as a sitting governor as a barrier to the EFCC's actions.
This event follows a similar occurrence in April when Ododo was accused of aiding Bello's evasion of arrest during another raid by the EFCC.
After a visit to the EFCC headquarters earlier on Wednesday, where Bello was purportedly not detained, the commission denied having him in custody, despite conflicting statements from Bello’s media team.
Dele Oyewale, an EFCC spokesperson, confirmed that Bello had not been arrested, attributing this outcome to Ododo's intervention. An EFCC official stated that Ododo's actions effectively obstructed their operatives from carrying out their duties.
In response to the chain of events, Bello’s media office condemned the actions of the EFCC, describing them as unnecessary and politically motivated.
They asserted that Bello had voluntarily visited the EFCC to clear his name but was turned away without interrogation.
The media team emphasized that they would hold the EFCC accountable for any harm that might come to Bello as a result of their actions.
