- Former safety aides could face orderly room trial for not arresting ex-gov
- EFCC appeals order stopping Bello’s arrest, seeks keep of execution
The Nigeria Police Power has detained a feminine police officer who was the aide-de-camp to embattled former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.
The ADC was arrested alongside different cops connected to 48-year-old Bello, and is being detained on the State Prison Investigation Division, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Their arrests and detention adopted a Thursday night time order by the Inspector Common of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, directing their quick withdrawal from the previous governor.
Senior police sources, who spoke to our correspondent on the situation of anonymity as a result of they didn’t have authorisation to remark publicly on the matter, famous that the officers had been arrested on the suspicion that they aided and abetted Bello’s escape from operatives of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, who had gone to impact his arrest at his Abuja residence on Wednesday.
“The ADC and the opposite police particulars connected to Yahaya Bello have been arrested and detained.
“They had been arrested on the order of the IG, on the suspicion that they aided and abetted the previous governor’s escape from the EFCC on Wednesday,” one of many sources informed our correspondent in a phone dialog on Friday.
One other supply mentioned, “Yahaya Bello’s feminine ADC and different cops connected to him had been delivered to the command this morning, they usually’ve been detained for aiding and abetting (the governor’s escape).”
Egbetokun had, on Thursday night time, ordered the withdrawal of all cops connected to Bello.
The order for the withdrawal was contained in a police wi-fi message sighted by our correspondent on Friday morning.
The doc learn, “CB:4001/DOPS/PMF/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.48/ 34 X ORDER AND DIRECTIVES X FOLLOWING MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM NIGPOL.
“DOPS ABUJA X BEGINS X CB:4001/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.21/462 DTO:180955/04/2024 X ORDER AND DIRECTIVES X REF MYLET NO CB:3412/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/36 DATED 15/04/2024 X AND MY EARLIER LET NO CB:3412/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/30 DATED 24/01/2024 X Nigeria police have ordered the withdrawal of all males.
“Police connected to His Excellency and former Govt Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, ought to acknowledge compliance and deal with with utmost significance. Please above to your info and strict compliance.”
Additionally, the Federal Authorities had on Thursday night time positioned Bello on a watch listing.
In a doc completely obtained by our correspondent on Thursday night time, the Comptroller Common of the Nigeria Immigration Service, revealed that Bello was positioned on a watchlist for conspiracy, breach of belief, and cash laundering.
The Assistant Comptroller Common signed the doc and copied the Nigeria Customs Service, the Inspector Common of Police, the Director Common of the Division of State Companies, and the Director of the Nationwide Web Company.
The doc learn, “I’m directed to tell you that the above-named particular person has been positioned on a watch listing. Suffice to say that the topic is being prosecuted earlier than the Federal Excessive Courtroom Abuja for Conspiracy, Breach of Belief and Cash Laundering vide letter Ref; CR; 3000/EFCC/LS/EGCS.1/TE/V 1/279 dated April 18, 2024.
“If seen at any entry or exit level, he needs to be arrested and referred to the Director of Investigation, or contact 08036226329/07039617304 for additional motion.
“Please, settle for as at all times the Comptroller-Common’s warmest regards and esteem.”
The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee had earlier declared Bello needed for laundering the sum of N80,246,470,088.88.
The event was contained in a discover posted on the fee’s official Fb web page on Thursday, with a snapshot of the embattled ex-governor connected.
The discover learn, “The general public is hereby notified that Yahaya Adoza Bello (former Governor of Kogi State), whose {photograph} seems above is needed by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee in reference to an alleged case of Cash Laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, 4 Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty 9 Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo).
“Bello, a 48-year-old Ebira man, is a local of Okenne Native Authorities of Kogi State. His final identified tackle is: 9, Benghazi Road, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. Anyone with helpful info as to his whereabouts ought to please contact the Fee.”
Bello had, on Thursday, failed to seem earlier than Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal Excessive Courtroom sitting in Abuja following his arraignment by the EFCC.
The embattled former governor was arraigned in absentia earlier than Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three different suspects, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu on 19-count expenses bordering on cash laundering.
The PUNCH had earlier reported how the incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, on Wednesday helped Bello, who’s his predecessor, escape arrest by operatives of the EFCC.
Considered one of our correspondents who was on the ex-governor’s residence on Wednesday noticed Ododo’s arrival with heavy safety at about 2:30 pm.
At precisely 4:20 pm, Ododo’s entourage drove out with Bello within the governor’s automotive.
About 10 minutes after the governor and former governor left, the EFCC operatives laying siege to Bello’s residence retreated from the scene.
Twenty minutes after the EFCC operatives left, the policemen, DSS operatives, Counter Terrorism Unit personnel, and different safety brokers guarding Bello’s home additionally drove off.
In a press release on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale mentioned, “Bello’s arraignment is approaching the heels of a warrant of arrest and enrollment order granted the EFCC by the court docket on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.”
The EFCC additional famous that the fee’s try and execute a warrant of arrest lawfully obtained towards Bello met stiff resistance on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
He added, “The safety cordon across the former governor’s residence in Abuja was breached by the present Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who ensured that the suspect was spirited away in his official automobile.
“As a accountable regulation enforcement company, the EFCC exercised restraint within the face of the provocation, ready for his arraignment on Thursday, April 18, 2024. It’s needful to state that Bello just isn’t above the regulation and could be delivered to justice as quickly as attainable.”
In the meantime, in a press release on Thursday, Yahaya Bello’s media workplace accused the EFCC of persecution, whereas accusing the anti-graft company of submitting the identical expenses in three completely different courts.
The assertion learn partly, “The eye of the Media Workplace of Yahaya Bello has once more been drawn to a different chapter within the sequence of the continued persecution of the previous Governor by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee.
“Having failed woefully to realize their motive of nationwide embarrassment with the crucial questions that greeted their earlier allegations that the previous governor transformed over N80bn Kogi State funds to private use in September 2015, even earlier than he grew to become governor, masterminds of this endless persecution have hurriedly repackaged their script, this time dragging the title of the EFCC additional within the mud.
“In a miscalculated bid to fulfill their paymasters in any respect prices, some determined politicians have pushed the EFCC to strategy one other Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja, with the identical set of questionable allegations with out ready for the dedication of the 2 previous circumstances they’ve filed in two completely different courts concurrently.
“On this specific one, they tried to right their preliminary blunder by saying that about N80bn was now stolen in February 2016, arguably lower than three weeks after he assumed workplace for the primary time as Governor of Kogi State on January 27, 2016.
“Trying on the curious and limitless eventualities of duplicated expenses, cross-charges, counter and frivolous expenses, it has change into crystal clear that the entire onslaught is nothing however a determined political witch-hunt of the quick previous governor.
“We wish to draw the eye of the President to the truth that the abuse of court docket processes and prosecutorial powers by the EFCC is assuming a harmful dimension that the pinnacle of the fee won’t even have paid consideration to. We nonetheless wish to assume that he’s being misled into political persecution, somewhat than diligent prosecution by unhealthy eggs inside the system, working with criminals masquerading as politicians.
“The desperation to nail a person that has accomplished nothing however to lift the bar of governance in his state and supply seen dividends of democracy to all, irrespective of spiritual or ethnic leaning, has beclouded the rational considering of masterminds and pushed them right into a constant sample of elevating extraordinarily frivolous and indefensible allegations towards their goal.”
Ododo could boycott Ondo APC major
In the meantime, there are recent indications that Ododo won’t flip up in Ondo State for right this moment’s governorship major election of the All Progressives Congress as promised.
Ododo was appointed to go the seven-man Main Election Committee set as much as conduct the shadow ballot in all 18 native authorities areas of the state, whereas a former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, was chosen as his secretary.
Different members embody a former Oyo Deputy Governor, Iyiola Oladokun; Senator Lekan Mustapha, Adefunmilayo Tejuoso, Margaret Duru, and Dr Sani Danjuma.
The Kogi governor was nonetheless absent from Friday’s oath-taking ceremony, which befell on the social gathering’s nationwide secretariat.
Defending his principal, Ododo’s deputy, Salifu Oyibo, attributed his absence to ‘safety challenges’.
He, nonetheless, insisted that the governor had promised to be accessible in Ondo State for the task on Saturday.
However, a supply within the newly inaugurated major committee, who most popular to not be talked about, informed our correspondent that the governor could boycott the train as a result of similar ‘safety challenges’ excuse given by his deputy.
“Ododo just isn’t coming. Did you sincerely anticipate him to depart Kogi to observe an election at a crucial interval when the EFCC is in search of to apprehend his mentor and predecessor? Who does that?
“Even the social gathering is aware of that the promise of being in Ondo just isn’t possible. I’m positive a last-minute association is being made. In any other case, Omo-Agege could take cost of continuing on Saturday (right this moment),” the supply defined.
In the meantime, Ododo’s imminent absence could unsettle some governorship aspirants, who’re trying ahead to the committee’s work.
One such aspirant is Wale Akinterinwa, who spoke extremely of Ododo’s qualities on the eve of the first at a press convention in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
He mentioned, “I anticipate that the Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, I don’t know him, however I consider he’s a person of integrity and capability. Clearly, for selecting him to conduct the election right here, the social gathering hierarchy should know that he’s able to doing a superb job.
“I anticipate that we’ll have a stage enjoying subject, and there will likely be free and truthful primaries, hitch-free, though persons are nonetheless a bit skeptical resulting from sure issues. However, I do know that regardless of these obstacles, I’ll surmount them and are available out victorious.
“The social gathering has a construction. I consider that the individuals coming to conduct the primaries are additionally members of the social gathering, and have an understanding of their roles.”
APC chieftain requires Ododo’s suspension
A former Nationwide Vice Chairman of the APC, Salihu Usman, has known as for Ododo’s suspension by the social gathering’s management.
This name is available in response to allegations that the governor shielded his predecessor from the scrutiny of the EFCC.
Talking in an interview on Come up TV on Friday, Usman described Ododo’s motion as an impeachable offense.
He burdened the necessity for accountability, stating that Bello should face the allegations towards him.
He mentioned, “In a easy allegation of corruption towards him, he (Yahaya Bello) is operating away. As a celebration, we should inform him that he has an obligation to go and reply to the costs being levied towards him.
“It’s much more scandalous, and it raises an even bigger ethical burden when our governor who succeeded (former) governor Yahaya Bello is shielding him and blocking him from being answerable to regulation enforcement businesses.
“So far as I’m involved, if confirmed, that constitutes an impeachable offense. I feel our social gathering ought to have made a pronouncement to droop the governor from the social gathering till this factor is introduced underneath management.”
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