Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has called on the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), to thread with caution over Kogi State’s former governor, as this case is already in court.
To this end, it was agreed that the anti-graft body should not take the laws into its own hands, making all efforts to tarnish the image of the ex-governor despite not being convicted of any offence.
In a statement issued by the President General of the forum, Yerima Shettima, on Wednesday in Kaduna to newsmen, he said, “We are worried about whose authority or interest the anti-graft agency is carrying out their actions despite the disclosure by the Kogi State government that no money is missing.
The invasion of the former Governor’s Abuja residence by the operatives was contrary to a subsisting court order granted February 9, 2024, by the Kogi State High Court of Justice, Lokoja Division, in Suit No. HCL/68M/2024 between Alhaji Yahaya Bello and . EFCC, restraining the Commission either by itself or its agents from harassing, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting him, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive fundamental rights enforcement action.
Despite a subsisting order of injunction granted on February 9, 2024, by the High Court of Justice, Lokoja Division, in Suit No. HCL/68M/2024 between Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, restraining the Commission either by itself or its agents from harassing, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting Alhaji Yahaya Bello, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive fundamental rights enforcement action, we are at a loss as to why the anti-graft body should decide to arrest the former governor.
The statement noted that the EFCC was duly served with that order on February 1, 2024, and on February 2, 2024, the EFCC filed an appeal (Appeal No.: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello) against the said order to the Court of Appeal Abuja division.
“The appeal was accompanied by a Motion for Stay of Execution of the Order of the High Court, which the Court of Appeal adjourned for hearing till the 22nd day of April 2024.
“It is unfair that, contrary to all of the above, the EFCC decided to lay siege to the home of their former governor, seeking to arrest him in contravention of the existing orders!
“We perceive the desperation of the anti-graft agency to embarrass and harass the former governor by all means through spurious allegations, especially the latest one dating back to September 2015, way before he assumed office.
“We are aware that there are clandestine moves to correct the error, but with even more questionable allegations, which would embarrass the Commission and Nigeria more than the initial one.
“It is unfortunate that an agency that is supposed to enforce the law is now the first culprit with respect to disobedience of court orders. This is a big dent in the fight against corruption. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the EFCC to order in the interest of legal sanity because we are not in the banana republic, where anything goes.
AYCF therefore calls on the EFCC to ensure that the fundamental rights of the ex-governor are respected. We are watching with keen interest.
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