The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) revealed on Wednesday that former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, accused of N80.2 billion fraud, has undermined the Nigerian justice system by failing to appear in court for his trial.
Mr. Effa Okim, the EFCC Acting Zonal Director of the Benin Zonal Command, made this statement during a familiarization visit to the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The EFCC is engaged in an ongoing legal battle with Bello over the alleged N80.2 billion fraud. After a failed attempt to arrest him and his continuous absence from court for arraignment, the EFCC declared Bello wanted, and the Nigerian Immigration Service has placed him on a watchlist.
When asked on Wednesday why the EFCC had not yet arrested Bello weeks after declaring him wanted, an irate Okim asserted that the former governor was being protected by the system.
“This is the last question I expected because the shame is on all of us. Is that a question I should answer alone? It’s not me, it is the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the EFCC zonal director said.
“That politically-exposed Yahaya Bello, whose crime has been traced to him by allegation and has been invited by EFCC to come and explain, and for months he is acting drama and we are all here wanting to ask questions! The shame is our own shame!
“Can’t we catch him? We can, but do we go all out to catch him? Do we need to do that when he has his masters? Can’t they call him and tell him, ‘You are disgracing Nigeria’? What are you telling the world? Tell him to go and explain himself like others have done.
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“Where are the ministers? Where are Yahaya Bello’s colleagues, even in his hiding? So, Nigerians can’t tell him ‘This is not fair, go and report; they are not going to kill you’? But people are still eating and dining with him.”
Okim said beyond legality, there was a moral aspect of the case.
“Where has morality gone before legality that we can’t summon that man and tell him to go and report himself to the EFCC? Some persons are writing, supporting him, while some are criticizing the commission.
“The problem is our own problem that borders on Nigeria’s image. Our children are watching their parents behave like children.
“To me, the truth has vanished. Even in Animal Farm, this will not happen, that a man who was part of the system that was a custodian of our culture, rules and laws can behave like this and you are asking questions.
“The media should come out for the first time to harmonise, criticise that action and forget about prosecution but tell him to make himself available; thereafter we know what to do.”
Okim said the criminal justice system had been ridiculed by the actions of Bello, “And because we respect the law, we want to go by the process, we are inhibited that does not make us weak.”
Churchill Oyowe, Chairman of the NUJ Delta State Council, pledged the commission the backing of journalists in the state.
(Punch)
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