Arewa Young Lawyers Forum (AYLF) has condemned the ongoing drama raging on between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as regards the corruption allegations against the former Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, describing it as avoidable.
The forum noted; “This is nothing but a deliberate and calculated attempt by the commission to create an unnecessary scenario in which the commission will further be thrown into yet another controversy capable of ruining the remaining authoritative image of the commission.
A statement issued by Abubakar Kurawa Esq President Arewa Young Lawyers Forum on Friday and made available to newsmen in Kaduna noted; “By law EFCC is established to investigate cases of financial crimes in the country, to submit the outcome of such investigations to the Courts of Law for adjudication.
“In no way did the EFCC Establishment statute contemplate a situation whereby the EFCC will become a law unto itself by way of convicting or passing Judgement on a particular suspect”.
However, in the eyes of the commission, the case of Alhaji Yahaya Bello is different, saying the commission has constituted a court unto itself, trying and convicting Alhaji Yahaya Bello in its own public court.
The commission does not desire to conduct any meaningful investigation on the allegation leveled against His Excellency Yahaya Bello. Rather, they are concerned about creating media uproar thereby poisoning the minds of the gullible, the statement added.
“The same commission that claimed to be looking for His Excellency Yahaya Bello for questioning over his “Exemplary“ stewardship as the Governor of Kogi, failed to have any questions for him when he made himself available at the commission Headquarters for questioning on Wednesday 19th September. His Excellency, voluntarily, without any form of forceful coercion, submitted himself to EFCC for questioning.
“This is a fact known to most Nigerians. He was there and went only because the Commission said they had some questions for him to answer. But, when he made himself available, they said, “Oh, sorry, sir, we have nothing to ask you.”
To create their usual drama, later in the evening on the same day, operatives of EFCC were seen at The Kogi State Governor’s lodge in full war gear, shooting sporadically, claiming that they came to arrest His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
“The same Yahaya Bello, who was earlier in the day within the four walls of their offices and they turned him down, that “no questions for you sir.
“It must be categorically stated here that EFCC, as an anti-corruption investigative agency, must remain within the purview of the law and operate with utmost regard to the rules of law and the tenets of Fundamental Rights.
“It’s trite, that presumption of innocence is a vital ingredient of fundamental Rights as enshrined in our Constitution. Hence subjecting any individual to media trial and premature conviction is an aberration of that very important principle.”
The lawyer’s group said every citizen has a right to a fair hearing, and his innocence must be presumed until proven otherwise by a competent court of law.
The forum observed that the matter of Yahaya Bello v EFCC is pending before the court and the court must be allowed to give its judgment, stressing that all the charades of trying to make headlines wrongly by the commission must be stopped.
“We are running a constitutional Democracy in this country not a form of dictatorship. To protect and preserve our democracy, all hands must be on deck, including that of EFCC,” the forum President stated.
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