Pandemonium was yesterday averted at one of the Abuja homes of the former governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello when his private security team and policemen attached to his house prevented the operatives of the EFCC who laid siege on his house from arresting him.
Bello who has been having a running legal battle with the Commission since leaving office was at his Wuse Zone 4, house, Benghazi street when the operatives stormed the house in the early hours of Wednesday with the order to arrest him.
This, Bello’s media team in a statement claimed is an illegal operation, describing it as a “flagrant disobedient” to the court injunction restraining the EFCC from arresting him.
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INDEPENDENT Correspondent, who was at the scene reliably gathered from eyewitness that, it took the intervention Bello’s successor, governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for the former governor to leave his residence unarrested by the operatives.
The witness who is one of Bello’s kinsmen and supporters revealed that, “When the EFCC operatives came in the morning, the policemen guarding his house denied them access into the house.
“In no time, his private security team arrived in different SUV and Toyota Hilux and blocked all access roads in the area. While the EFCC laid siege on the house, Bello’s private security team laid siege on the operatives on all the streets linking the house in an attempt to stop them from whisking the former governor away.
“This was a strategy to stop them pending the arrival of governor Ododo. When the governor eventually arrived with heavy security escorts, he went inside and after sometimes drove out of the premises with Bello in his convoy. Despite that, some of his supporters carrying placards were said to have smashed the Bus carrying the EFCC operatives as they made to leave the house.
“It took the intervention of Bello for the operatives to leave that house scout free. He directed that no one should attack them.”
While this lasted, the eyewitness disclosed that his supporters were been shared foods, soft drinks and money to appreciate them for their continued support to the former governor.”
Meanwhile, the EFCC in a statement by its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale said the Commission will no longer tolerate the obstruction of its operations.
The statement reads; “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission wishes to warn members of the public that it is a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
“Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
“This warning becomes necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
“On several occasions, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order. Regrettably, such disposition is being construed as a sign of weakness.
“The Commission, therefore, warns that it will henceforth not tolerate any attempt by any person or organisation to obstruct its operation as such will be met with appropriate punitive actions.”
