A Nigerian Court of Appeal in Abuja has paved the way for the possible arrest and arraignment of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello for alleged corruption and abuse of office during his eight-year tenure.
Bello faces charges of corruption, money laundering, among others, and the ruling raises hope that he would now get his day in court.
The Court of Appeal ordered the former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to appear for arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Significantly, the judgement by Justice Ken Amadi on Tuesday restrained Bello from taking any further actions regarding the charges against him until he has been formally arraigned.
Bello has been engaged in a hide-and-seek game with the EFCC since April and has skipped six court dates, after a curious ruling by a Kogi High Court presided over by Justice Jamil in February 2024.
In the suit initiated by Bello to enforce his Fundamental Human Rights, Justice Jamil had expressly granted an order of injunction restraining the Commission from arresting or attempting to arrest the former governor.
Meanwhile, a trial court ordered his arrest in April, but the police are yet to carry out the directive, amidst claims that the former governor is being protected by his godson and successor, Governor Usman Ododo.
He failed to appear for his arraignments in April, May, June and July, despite a string of legal battle defeats.
On Tuesday, the appeal court sided with the EFCC in its case handled by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin Okutepa.
The court described as “scandalous the judgment of the lower court when it held that the purpose of the case instituted at the trial Court was to shield Yahaya Bello from his criminal trial.
The Court also standing on a ruling by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole JCA in EFCC vs. Alh. Yahaya Bello, CA/ABJ/CV/413/2024, to reiterate that “No Court has the power to preclude a law enforcement agent from performing its statutory functions.”
“Because of the provision of Section 396(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, the Respondent in this appeal, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, is at this moment ordered to appear for his arraignment in Charge No.: FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022, FRN VS ALI BELLO & ANOR, before taking any other step in this matter.”
Political observers said they hope that the police and other security agencies would move in to enforce the latest judgement and force the former governor, who was an aspirant of the ruling APC in the presidential election, to face justice.
