FG to Ex-Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello: ‘Time to Take a Stroll Down the Decency Lane and Submit to Probe’

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has issued a stern call to the former governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, urging him to adhere to principles of decency and submit himself for investigation.

Bello has been the subject of interest for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding alleged corrupt practices during his tenure as governor of Kogi State.

Over the past 24 hours, a series of events have unfolded, with both parties engaged in a game of cat and mouse over the planned arrest and arraignment of the former governor on Thursday.

According to reports, the AGF, in a statement personally signed on Thursday, emphasized the legal authority of the EFCC to summon any Nigerian citizen for questioning. He criticized the incumbent governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, for utilizing his immunity to obstruct Bello’s arrest on Wednesday, deeming such actions as ‘disquieting’. Fagbemi stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring that no individual’s rights are infringed upon.

In a concise statement, the AGF remarked, “The bizarre drama confronting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the course of its efforts to perform its statutory duty has come to my notice (Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice) as a matter of very grave concern.”

He further added, “I 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 that can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world.”