EFCC vs Yahaya Bello: Kogi Traditional Rulers, Other Leaders, Petition President Tinubu; Denounce Commission

Prominent traditional rulers and political leaders from Kogi State have petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, decrying what they described as the persecution of former Governor Yahaya Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The signatories, including traditional rulers, senators, and senior politicians, allege in the petition published in several newspapers that the EFCC’s actions against Bello have become a threat to democracy in Nigeria and an embarrassment to the administration.

In a strongly worded letter dated September 23, 2024, the leaders expressed concern over what they viewed as excessive and unlawful behavior by the EFCC. The petition follows an incident in which Yahaya Bello voluntarily surrendered to the EFCC after months of being declared wanted, only for the commission to reportedly refuse to process him and later conduct a night raid on the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja, where he was staying.

The current encounter between Yahaya Bello and the EFCC began when the EFCC declared Yahaya Bello wanted in April 2024 in connection with his alleged refusal to appear for interrogation in connection with alleged financial mismanagement during his tenure as Kogi governor. Despite pursuing his legal options and obtaining a court order prohibiting his unlawful arrest, prosecution or harassment, the former governor remained on the EFCC’s watchlist.

According to the petition, Bello voluntarily appeared at the EFCC headquarters on September 18, 2024, to submit himself for interrogation, only to wait four hours and be told to leave. Shortly afterward, the EFCC issued a public statement denying that Bello had been in their custody, reigniting controversy. Kogipedia can now confirm that Bello did visit the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja as reported.

The petitioners, including the Attah of Igala, the Ohinoyi of Ebira Land, and the Obaro of Kabba, the ranking traditional rulers in the eastern, central, and western senatorial districts of the state respectively, condemned the EFCC’s conduct, particularly the subsequent night raid on the Kogi Government Lodge in Asokoro. During the raid, EFCC operatives allegedly shot sporadically in an attempt to arrest Bello by force.

The letter, signed as aforesaid by key figures such as Atta Matthew Opaluwa, HRM the Attah of Igala; Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tijani Mohammed Anaje, HRM the Ohinoyi of Ebira Land; Oba Solomon Dele Owoniyi, HRM the Obaro of Kabba; and Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho, representing Kogi East, urged President Tinubu to call the EFCC to order. They emphasized that the agency’s conduct was not only damaging to its credibility but also cast a shadow over Tinubu’s administration’s anti-corruption agenda.

In their letter, the Kogi leaders argued that the EFCC’s behavior has gone beyond the fight against corruption and now represents a clear threat to the life and liberty of Yahaya Bello. They pointed out the inconsistency of the EFCC’s actions—refusing to process Bello when he voluntarily appeared for questioning, only to later invade the Government Lodge in an aggressive, unprovoked manner.

“This connotes more than the fight against corruption, and the majority of our people have termed this action as an assassination attempt on the former governor,” the petitioners wrote. The signatories accused the agency of attempting to humiliate the former governor and possibly endanger his life.

The letter further criticized the EFCC for transforming the case into what they termed a “national embarrassment,” urging President Tinubu to intervene to prevent the situation from escalating. They warned that the agency’s actions could undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s fight against corruption and damage the president’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, which was launched to steer the country toward progress.

The leaders stressed their support for the fight against corruption but expressed concern that the EFCC’s current methods were counterproductive. They requested a review of the EFCC’s modus operandi to prevent future incidents like the one involving Bello.

“Currently, it is counterproductive,” the letter noted. “The game being played by the agency has become a national embarrassment.”

In addition to the above royal fathers, other traditional rulers who signed include Alhaji Saidu Akawu Salihu, HRM the Ohimege Igu of Koton-Karfe Kingdom, and Chief Dr. Williams Keke, HRM the Aguma of Bassa Land. The petition was signed by many other high-ranking political leaders from Kogi State, including Hon. Aliu Umar Yusuf, Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly; Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali Halims, Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives; and Hon. Leke Abejide, another serving member of the House of Representatives and former gubernatorial candidate. Other signatories included Hon. Comfort Egwoba, the Deputy Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, and prominent Kogi politician Barr. Halima I. Alfa, a former Commissioner and current Board of Trustee Member of the Arewa Consultative Forum.

The letter highlights a significant shift in public opinion, with influential leaders from Kogi State openly challenging the agency’s actions. Honourable Moses Okezie-Okafor, the Kogi State Director-General for Research and Development who served as the Director of Administration for the National Youth Mobilisation Directorate of the President’s Campaign Council, expressed frustration with the EFCC’s refusal to adhere to the rule of law with regards to Yahaya Bello, noting that it has done more damage to the democratic credentials of the ruling party than anything else in recent times.

According to Okezie-Okafor, a senior lawyer who was also a member of the Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate in the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, “the involvement of such prominent figures in defense of Bello adds another layer to the growing controversy surrounding the EFCC’s conduct. The fact that traditional rulers, respected across Nigeria and known to be neutral, have openly taken such a stance suggests that the EFCC’s credibility has fallen into a sinkhole and public confidence in the institution could be irrevocably shaken if reforms are not made.”

This petition, backed by such a wide spectrum of leaders, comes on the heels of a universal outcry against misconduct by the EFCC in several high-profile matters, including that of Yahaya Bello, by all segments of Nigerian society ranging from civil society organizations to faith-based bodies and even a leading coalition of opposition political parties, which is unprecedented.

It also sends a strong message to the federal government: that a reevaluation of the EFCC’s leadership and operational methods is necessary to prevent further erosion of public trust in the nation’s justice system.

The situation also poses a test for President Tinubu’s administration, which has pledged to uphold the rule of law while fighting corruption. As the drama unfolds, the president will need to balance the expectations of his anti-corruption crusade with the concerns raised by powerful constituencies in Kogi State and across Nigeria since the incident, widely condemned as an abuse of power by the EFCC.

© Kogipedia

Full text of the Petition below:

23rd September, 2024

Your Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Your Excellency,

PERSECUTION OF FORMER GOVERNOR OF KOGI STATE, ALHAJI YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO

We are compelled to write this open letter to you, our dynamic President, in light of the recent worrisome activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which, if not checked, could cast a dent on the noble intentions of Your Excellency with regard to the fight against corruption and, indeed, the wellbeing of the Nigerian economy as a whole.

It is a fact that no society thrives without an effective framework against corruption, and we, as responsible citizens of Nigeria, fully support the fight against corruption in the interest of all.

We, however, frown at a situation where the activities of an agency saddled with this all-important task paint an embarrassing picture that conflicts with acceptable standards.

Despite the fact that the initial siege on the residence of our son, the former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was against the rule of law, because this happened at a time he had a valid court order prohibiting such, we did not interfere in the matter. We relied on the fact that legal battles were on and that the truth would be revealed at the end.

The event of Wednesday, 18th September, 2023 was, however, one that could not be ignored.

The former governor had been declared wanted in April, in curious circumstances, with his fundamental human rights and that of his family violated in the most unfair manner. He was placed on a watchlist, among other actions.

After the EFCC finally vacated the same order they had ignored initially, a few weeks ago, he decided to voluntarily submit himself for interrogation on Wednesday while still pursuing the enforcement of his fundamental human rights in the courts. But the EFCC turned this into a condemnable drama that has been greeted with serious outrage across the country.

How would one explain a situation where an agency that declared the former governor wanted and even involved Interpol in the search for him told him to go after waiting for four hours in their premises? The same agency sent out an official statement a few minutes later, saying former governor Yahaya Bello was not in its custody and remained wanted!

The EFCC did not stop at that. Its operatives invaded the Kogi State Government Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, at night, shooting sporadically and attempting to force their way in. This is a condemnable act in all ramifications in a democracy.

The EFCC explained publicly that the former governor was not interrogated or detained when he came to their headquarters because the incumbent, Alhaji Usman Ododo, was still a serving governor.

Why would this be when there are hundreds of precedents where sitting governors and top officials have been investigated and questioned while in office? This lends credence to the theory that something else, beyond corruption, was at play.

The fact that the EFCC is now trying to shift the blame to the governor by referring to a constitutionally protected office is a disgrace and undermines the trust people place in our anti-corruption institutions.

This escalation will not go unnoticed by the international community or within Nigeria.