The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has called on Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, to surrender himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the wake of N80 billion money laundering charges against him.
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In a statement issued on Thursday, Fagbemi emphasized that the EFCC possesses statutory powers to summon any individual of interest for questioning, regardless of their status. Bello, who was expected to enter his plea before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, failed to appear.
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The former governor’s absence follows a dramatic standoff on Wednesday, during which EFCC operatives besieged his residence in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, for several hours in an attempt to effect his arrest. However, their efforts were thwarted by the resistance of police personnel guarding the premises.
Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State intervened in the standoff, appearing at the scene and reportedly departing from the residence with Mr. Bello in his official vehicle. Despite the presence of his legal representatives in court, Bello did not attend his scheduled arraignment.
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