…as alleged N80.2b fraud case dangles

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga recently addressed why security agencies, including the police, have been unable to assist the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in apprehending former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-economic program aired on Channels Television, Onanuga described the complexities surrounding Bello’s case.

The EFCC had declared Bello wanted in April for alleged involvement in financial misappropriation amounting to N80.2 billion during his tenure from May 2015 to May 2023. Despite several attempts by the EFCC to arrest Bello at his residence, his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, reportedly intervened, providing refuge for the embattled former governor. The case remains in court, but Bello has yet to appear before a trial judge despite multiple adjournments.

When asked why police have not intervened by using Ododo’s orderlies to assist in Bello’s arrest, Onanuga explained, “It’s a bit complicated. The EFCC, a Federal Government agency, wants to apprehend Yahaya Bello. However, Bello is taking advantage of the immunity enjoyed by Governor Ododo, who has been sheltering him.”

Onanuga compared the situation to diplomatic immunity. “If Bello is residing within Governor Ododo’s premises, police action would infringe upon the governor’s immunity,” he said, adding that “this is similar to cases where individuals evade arrest by seeking refuge in embassies, as seen with Julian Assange in the UK, who hid in an embassy and couldn’t be apprehended until he voluntarily exited.”

Onanuga concluded that Governor Ododo’s immunity is the primary obstacle preventing police intervention, which limits the EFCC’s ability to take Bello into custody. He emphasized that unless circumstances change, the EFCC and police remain constrained in their ability to act under current legal protections.