Appeal Court To Hear EFCC Appeal Against Yahaya Bello’s Arrest Today

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, will today, hear the appeal filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) challenging a Kogi State High Court decision that temporarily halted the arrest of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

The high court had on February 9, 2024, issued an order preventing the EFCC from “inviting, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting” Bello, pending the outcome of a fundamental rights suit he had initiated.

The EFCC is seeking to prosecute the ex-governor on 19 counts involving allegations of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of N80.2 billion.

In an aggressive move to bring Bello to justice, the EFCC had attempted to secure an arrest warrant from the Federal High Court in Abuja while the Kogi court was ruling on Bello’s human rights claims.

Despite obtaining the warrant, the agency was unable to arrest Bello at his Abuja residence, leading to a delay in his arraignment.

The situation prompted a judicial review, where Justice Nwite adjourned the arraignment and subsequent ruling until April 23.

During this session, Bello was notably absent, but his legal representation, led by Mr. Abdulwahab Mohammed (SAN), highlighted the ongoing appellate proceedings, arguing that the EFCC’s actions conflicted with the matters before the appeal court.

In response, EFCC counsel Mr. Kemi Pinehero insisted that the trial should proceed despite the appellate challenge.

Meanwhile, the EFCC, through its solicitor J.S. Okutepa (SAN), has lodged a formal appeal, marked CA/ABJ/PRE/RDA/CV/165MI, against the Kogi State court’s restraining order.

The agency contends that the order severely impedes its statutory duties as outlined in sections 6 and 7 of the EFCC Act, which empowers it to investigate and prosecute economic crimes.

The EFCC described the lower court’s ex parte order as an “obstruction” to its mandated functions, thereby necessitating a judicial review by the appellate court.

Today’s hearing is expected to provide critical insights into the legal tussle, determining whether the EFCC can proceed with its intended prosecution of the former governor amidst ongoing legal wrangling and procedural