Drama and confusion is currently rocking the Federal High Court, as its Abuja Division on Wednesday, ordered the arrest of former Governor Yahaya Bello for arraignment in court on Thursday.
This is coming despite a substantive judgement by a Kogi State High Court earlier, restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from harassing, detaining or prosecuting the former Governor.
Justice I.A Jamil of High Court IV gave the restraining order in a two-hour judgement delivered in suit no HCL/68/M/2020 in Lokoja about 12pm Wednesday.
“By this order, the EFCC is hereby restrained from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant”, he said.
However, the Federal High Court, Abuja, which is of coordinate jurisdiction, has ordered the arrest of Ex-Gov Yahaya Bello for arraignment in court on Thursday, April 18.
The EFCC had appealed against the initial order, and the appeal was reportedly scheduled for hearing on April 22. (Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello).
Justice Emeka Nwite, who gave the order of arrest on Thursday, granted the request for an arrest warrant to the by the EFCC, activating its power to arrest Yahaya Bello.
He said that the EFCC “had tried” to serve Bello with notice of arraignment.
Earlier, the Yahaya Bello Media Office had, in a statement signed by Onogwu Mohammed, alerted the nation to a siege on the former Governor’s Abuja residence.
Meanwhile, there was pandemonium as the sound of gunshots rend the air when Kogi State governor, Ahmed Ododo, allegedly prevented the arrest of his predecessor in office and political god-gather, Yahaya Bello, at his Abuja residence on Wednesday.
DIPLOMATIC DIARY earlier reported a standoff at Bello’s residence on Wednesday afternoon when armed operatives of the EFCC, stormed the premises to carry out Bello’s arrest.
Governor Ododo, who had arrived the residence amid the standoff, was suspected to have later departed the residence with Bello in his official vehicle with tinted glasses.
Hours after the arrival of the EFCC operatives and inability to achieve their mission, they reinforced with backup support from the Police and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives.
However, as Governor Ododo was leaving Bello’s residence, the security operatives got the feelers that the former governor was in the governor’s vehicle, a development that prompted them to open fire.
