Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello reportedly evaded arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, with assistance from his successor, Governor Usman Ododo.
The EFCC had surrounded the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja in an effort to apprehend Bello, who is under investigation for an alleged N80.2 billion fraud. However, Ododo, who enjoys immunity as a sitting governor, is said to have helped Bello avoid capture.
This incident mirrors a previous attempt in April, where Ododo also reportedly facilitated Bello’s escape from EFCC operatives during another raid in Abuja.
Following a visit by Bello and Ododo to the EFCC headquarters on Wednesday, the commission denied that Bello was in their custody. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale clarified that the former governor was not detained, despite claims from Bello’s media team suggesting he had voluntarily visited the agency.
EFCC operatives expressed frustration over their inability to arrest Bello, citing Ododo’s gubernatorial immunity as a barrier. An EFCC official explained, “Yahaya Bello has not been arrested. The Kogi State governor prevented operatives from doing their job, just as he did previously. He took Bello away, and our men could not act due to the immunity Ododo enjoys.”
Efforts to contact EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale for further comments were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered. Similarly, the phone of Ohaire Michael, Director of Bello’s media team, was switched off, and he had yet to respond to inquiries as of press time.
