By Austin Ogwuda
FORMER Governor of Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, from the hideout, through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN is praying the Federal high court Abuja to set aside an arrest warrant issues against him.
Mohammed told Justice Nwite when the matter was called for the ex-governor to be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 19-count money laundering charge.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Nwite had, on Wednesday, ordered that EFCC should be issued a warrant for the arrest of Bello.
The judge, who granted the order, directed that Bello should be brought to court Thursday to take his plea in the charge preferred against him.
But Mohammed informed the court that a preliminary objection had already been filed before the court to the effect.
The lawyer, who urged the court to vacate the arrest warrant order, said a High Court of Kogi had on February 9 restrained the anti-graft agency from arresting, detaining or prosecuting Bello.
He said the order was challenged by the EFCC at the Court of Appeal and the matter was already fixed for hearing.
Mohammed said that the arrest warrant the Commission surreptitiously got from the court was an attempt to bring the court on collision course with the Appeal Court.
He said the issue of jurisdiction was a threshold which the court must address fisrt.
However, EFCC’s lawyer, Kehibde Pinhero, SAN, disagreed with Mohammed’s submission.
He said the matter was fixed for Bello’s arraignment and Mohammed, having announced appearance for the ex-governor, could be served in the open court for the matter to proceed.
He said the arrest warrant was to ensure that Bello was produced in court to stand his trial since all efforts to effect the service on him had proved abortive.
The hearing is still ongoing as at the time of filing this report.
Meantime, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty.
Fagbemi gave the warning Thursday in a statement released in Abuja.
The warning came a day after former governor of Kogi state, Yahya Bello was aided from being arrested by the EFCC by Governor Usman Ododo, Bello’s successor.
“This is a matter of very grave concern. It is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting”.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies”, the Minister added.
Credit: NAN