EFCC Seeks Court Order to Use Soldiers to Bulldoze Yahaya Bello’s Castle, Extract Him for Trial

Kogi’s former Gov Yahaya Bello has dug himself into a hole for resisting arrest. And the EFCC has plans to crash the roof down on his head.

His defence lawyer Abdulwahab Muhammed refused to help when he dodged the service of the arrest warrant the EFCC wanted to execute April 17.

“We have to arraign him in court even if we have to use the military,” EFCC lawyer Kemi Pinheiro said in an Abuja high court April 18. “Immunity is only attached to a person and not the building.”

Yahaya Bello holed up in his Abuja fortress when the agency’s operatives descended on the perimeter  yesterday. His godson and successor Usman Ododo had to bluff his way through the siege, and shielded his mentor until the operatives left.

Both sides now race against time. 

“The law allows to break down walls to arrest an evading defendant. Section 284 says all persons are to obey the service of charge,” the EFCC lawyer said.

The former governor has been using delay tactics since the agency began frisking him and his cronies. The agency claimed they stole N84 billion in the two terms of his administration. 

A number of APC governors that served out their terms recently have had to clear one or two things with the agency about their finances. Former Ekiti Gov Kayode Fayemi did without playing cops and robbers with the agency.