By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
A coalition of over 120 anti-corruption Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) has criticized the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) for calling for the arrest of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
In a statement released on Thursday, the coalition described HEDA’s demand as a “display of egregious ignorance” and an “insidious disregard for the rule of law.” They argued that Bello had voluntarily cooperated with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by visiting their headquarters to address the allegations against him.
Led by spokesperson Comrade Olufemi Lawson, the CSOs emphasized that the real issue was the EFCC’s inaction rather than Bello’s refusal to cooperate. The statement criticized HEDA for ignoring the EFCC’s failure to act and called the demand for a forceful arrest hypocritical.
The coalition expressed concern that HEDA’s actions undermine the judicial process, noting that Bello’s case is still being addressed in several courts, including the Supreme Court. They further accused HEDA of fostering “executive lawlessness” and alleged that the group’s pressure tactics had contributed to the dismissal of former EFCC chairman Abdul Rasheed Bawa by President Bola Tinubu.
The group called on the newly appointed EFCC chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, to resist pressure from organizations like HEDA that could potentially derail ongoing anti-corruption efforts. The CSOs reiterated their commitment to ensuring that justice is pursued through legal and transparent means, rejecting what they termed “sensationalist calls for unlawful arrests.”
The statement concluded with a warning that the coalition would expose any attempts by individuals or groups to misuse civil society organizations to erode public trust in the anti-corruption movement. The press release was signed by several prominent leaders, including Dr. Dapo Oluwole of the Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) and Comrade Declan Ihekhaire of Activists for Good Governance.
