Concerned by the Kogi State former Governor, Yahaya Bello’s, disregard for the court orders and security personnel alleged role in aiding his evasion, a civil society organisation, the Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) has gave the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, 14 ultimatum to arrest and either handover Bello to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or present him before court as expected.
They said that if the police boss fails to arrest and hand the former governor, who was accused of diverting public funds into personal use, legal action will be instituted against the police for assisting Bello to avoid prosecution inline with the over N100 billion suit case hanging on his eight years tenure in Kogi.
In a petition to the IGP office, the activists demanded that the police boss uses his status as a board member of the EFCC to initiate the move immediately to avoid legal actions.
In a press release issued by its executive director Nelson Ekujumi, the group also reminded the IGP that he’s a member of the board of the EFCC and that by virtue of his membership, he’s expected by law, “To support the EFCC with its performance and also deploy human resources, officers as the need may arise”.
The group then went ahead to demand the obligatory duty of the IGP as enshrined in the Nigeria Police Establishment Act 2020 to effect the arrest of Bello and hand him over to the court or the EFCC for arraignment.
The “open letter” to the IGP dated September 30, 2024 titled Demand for the Arrest and Handing Over of the Former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Yahaya Bello, as signed by Nelson Ekujumi.
The letter reads in part: “With humility, we have the pleasure to introduce to you our organization, the Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER), which is at the vanguard of advocating and promoting transparency and accountability in our Country, Nigeria.
“Sir, we deem it fit and most appropriate at this point in time to request that you deploy the resources and the expertise of your office to arrest and bring before a competent law Court the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, or upon his arrest, to hand him over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and subsequent arraignment in the court of law.
“As you are aware Sir, that upon the application to the High Court by the EFCC for an arrest of the former Governor, the said application was granted and an Order for his Arrest was issued by the Court. In this light, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, April 18, 2024 declared the former Governor of Kogi State, H.E Yahaya Adoza Bello wanted and a bench warrant for his arrest was issued.
“Furthermore, the Court of Appeal in a unanimous judgement read by Justice Kenneth Amadi, in Appeal number: CA/ABJ/CV/536 held that the appellant (Yahaya Bello) having been aware of his charge on the media space and same published by the respondent (the EFCC) but refused to appear to take his plea; the trial court was right in issuing his warrant of arrest.
“That we are aware and it is well known to the public that all attempts by the EFCC and the Court to make H. E. Yahaya Bello face justice and answer the allegations against him, are being repeatedly frustrated by your men (policemen), who continue to provide security for the former Governor, thereby preventing his arrest.
“Sir, it is more embarrassing to us that your good self being the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), by law, actually sit on the Board of the EFCC. The drafters of the EFCC Act actually knew what they were doing when they included you and the Director General of the DSS as members of the Board of EFCC, the reason for such cannot be farfetched, which is to support the EFCC with its performance and also to deploy human resources, officers as the need may arise.
“May we ask that of what relevance, importance and use, is your membership of the EFCC Board if you cannot get the man already declared wanted by the court arrested? Worse still, your men have been seen in the full glare of the public not only providing security cover for H.E Yahaya Bello, but also actually preventing the EFCC from arresting him.
“Owing to the above and coupled with the facts that H.E Yahaya Bello’s failed and refused to voluntarily report to the nearest police station, to the EFCC or the court, has caused Nigeria gross shame locally and internationally; we are therefore, left with no other option than to demand your obligatory duty as enshrined in the Nigeria Police Establishment Act, 2020 and in line with your constitutional responsibility.
We hereby give you a maximum of fourteen (14) days to arrest H.E Yahaya Bello and hand him over to the EFCC or the court.
“Finally, should you fail to meet our request above, please take note that we will, without further communication with you, commence a legal action against you by applying to the court for an Order of Mandamus to compel you to perform your statutory obligations by arresting and taking His Excellency Yahaya Bello to either the EFCC or the law court”.
