• To arraign Yahaya Bello on Thursday

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has warned the Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, and other Nigerians that it will no longer tolerate criminal obstruction of its officers from carrying out their lawful duties.

According to the commission, 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.

According to the provision, the offence carries a jail term of not less than five years.

The section reads, “The Commission shall seek and receive information from any person, authority, corporation or company without let or hindrance in respect of offences it is empowered to enforce under this Act.

“A person who – (a) willfully obstructs the Commission or any authorized officer of the Commission in exercise of any of the powers conferred on the Commission by this Act; or (b) fails to comply with any lawful enquiry or requirements made by any authorized officer in accordance with the provision of this Act, commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine of twenty thousand naira or to both such imprisonment and fine.”

The warning was coming at the heels of the obstruction of the officers of the EFCC from arresting the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the current governor, Ododo.

The Commission said it was at the Abuja residence of the former Governor to execute a warrant of arrest obtained against Bello before Ododo breached the security arrangement and aided Bello to evade lawful arrest.

“The Commission’s attempt to execute the Warrant of Arrest lawfully obtained against Bello met stiff resistance on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

“The security cordon around the former governor’s residence in Abuja was breached by the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo who ensured that the suspect was spirited away in his official vehicle.

The Commission said his officers exercised restraint in the face of the provocation by the Governor and other sympathisers of the former governor who had thronged the area.

“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.”

Meanwhile, the Commission has said that it will on Thursday arraign the former governor before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja before Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three other suspects, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu.

They will be arraigned on 19- count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80, 246, 470, 088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight Nine Naira,  Eighty Eight Kobo).

Bello’s arraignment is coming on the heels of a warrant of arrest and enrolment order granted the EFCC by the court on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

Count one of the charges reads: “That you,  Yahaya Adoza Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (Still at large), sometime, in February, 2016, in Abuja within the jurisdiction  of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80, 246,470, 088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eight Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity  to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended”.

Count 17 of the charges read: “That you Yahaya Bello between 26th July 2021 to 6th April 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court aided E-Traders International Limited to conceal the aggregate sum of  N3, 081, 804,654.00 (Three Billion, Eighty One Million Eight Hundred and Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Four Naira) in account number 1451458080 domiciled in Access BankPlc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.

Count 18  of the charges reads: “That you Yahaya Adoza Bello  sometime in November 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction  of this Honourable Court indirectly procured E-Traders international Limited to transfer  the aggregate sum of $570,330.00 (Five Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty Dollars) to account number 4266644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15( 3) of the same Act”.