Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, has expressed his willingness to face the 19-count charge leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Despite not being physically present for his arraignment, Bello briefed a legal team to represent him in court on Tuesday.
One of his lawyers, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court that his client was prepared to attend the proceedings but harbored concerns about the possibility of his arrest.
“The defendant is eager to come to court but is apprehensive due to the looming threat of arrest against him,” remarked Adedipe, SAN.
Hence, he implored the court to revoke the ex-parte arrest order issued against the former governor.
Adedipe, SAN, argued that the arrest order was premature since the charge had not been formally served to his client, as stipulated by the law.
He highlighted that it was only during the recent court session on Tuesday that the judge approved the alternative method of serving the charge to the defendant through his legal counsel.
“When the arrest warrant was issued, the substitute service order had not been granted. This order was only approved this morning,” Adedipe, counsel to the defendant, emphasized.