Kogi: IGP, DSS must stop helping Bello from EFCC arrest- lawyers

…he is not above the law

As Nigerians await Kogi State former governor, Yahaya Bello’s arraignment over alleged diversion of public funds made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), legal practitioners and human rights activists have raised concerns over lack of synergy among law enforcement agencies, identifying it as major reason behind more record of corruption cases in public offices.

They stated that the poor cooperation between them especially the EFCC and Police as well as Directorate of State Services (DSS) has been a major hurdle holding back government’s push to reduce corruption in public offices as well as ensure strict adherence to law and order across the country.

Speaking on the case between the EFCC and the former governor on Monday, they identified lack of support from other agencies to the EFCC as the major lacuna aiding Bello’s evasion of arrest and boycott of court orders.

They argued that the EFCC may be after him, to ensure the former governor obey court order, but the Police and DSS personnel still attached to him, shielding him against any unapproved engagement particularly aiming to force the former governor to account for the alleged diverted public funds.

According to them, the Bello has no immunity that shields him from being arrested and arraigned before the court on allegations brought against him.

Speaking on the continued delay of Bello’s arrest, a popular legal practitioner, Adeyemi Sulaimon, argued that the entire process of EFCC trailing Bello to different places or immunity from Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo, shouldn’t have arose if the police and DSS works effectively as they were expected.

Sulaimon added that even if the governor is shielding his predecessor from arrest, Bello could still be apprehended if the office of the Inspector General of Police and the DSS were truly interested in performing their duties as enshrined in the law.

He said: “This whole drama is very funny because EFCC should have been able to arrest the former governor before now and save us from all these movies script. I said this because the matter is simple.

“It is simple because the former governor and the incumbent use both police and DSS right. So all that is needed to do is for the IGP and the DSS boss to dispatch signals that whenever the EFCC approach locations or convoy of the governor to pick Bello, the police and DSS shouldn’t stand in their way, stand down and allow the anti-graft agency work.

“Even when the governor is there, they should insist that we have been told not to prevent arrest of the former governor by the EFCC. And that the immunity only covers you sir and not extended to your predecessor.

“And before you know it, the Kogi State former governor will be having his day in court. But this is not the case here. And the country is spending tax payers money fueling vehicles to go after him and same law enforcement officers paid by the country will be preventing arrest by law enforcement agency.

“I believe these agencies need to work together and support one another. The support Nigerians expected is not that we see on camera but one that truly runs smoothly as expected by the citizens. If we do all this, the country resources will be saved and can be useful for others things”, he added.

On his part, human rights activist and legal practitioner, Gedion Okebu, carpeted the the former governor, Bello and his successor, Ododo, for being a clog in the wheel of justice

He said that no one is above the law, neither is anyone permitted to be wiser than the law, saying Yahaya Bello is not above arrest. Evading and resisting arrest is a crime on its own.

“When officers of the law are prevented from carrying out their lawful duty, the law empowers them to use the arms they bear to ensure the performance of their duty, provided the force used is not unreasonable in the circumstance.

“However, i must also add that it is an aberration for Kogi government officials to habor and abet a fugitive (Yahaya Bello) who has been declared wanted. The Rule of law must prevail, and the Rule of law should not be open for politicking”, he added.