An arrest warrant for Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, has been granted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.
The warrant was issued based on an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in response to the motion, has also instructed that the former governor appears before him on Thursday, April 18, for arraignment.
In his decree, he mentioned, “The following orders are hereby given:
“It is hereby ordered by this honorable court to issue a warrant for the immediate arrest of the defendant to present him before this honorable court for arraignment.
“The case will be adjourned to the 18th day of April 2024 for arraignment.”
Prior to this, a Lokoja High Court had prevented the EFCC from arresting, detaining, and prosecuting the immediate past governor of Kogi State.
Simultaneously, the current governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, came to the aid of the troubled former governor to thwart the arrest by EFCC operatives on Wednesday.
Our reporter, who was present at the ex-governor’s residence, witnessed Ododo’s arrival accompanied by heavy security around 2:30 pm on Wednesday.
Approximately two hours later, precisely at 4:20 pm, Ododo’s convoy departed with Bello in the governor’s vehicle.
About ten minutes after the departure of the governor and former governor, the EFCC operatives who had surrounded Bello’s residence withdrew from Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.