Policemen attached to Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State have prevented personnel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting the governor’s predecessor, Yahaya Bello.
The Herald can report that EFCC personnel on Wednesday afternoon laid siege to Bello’s home located on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Federal Capital Territory.
However, Ododo arrived at Bello’s residence at about 2:30 pm Wednesday, alongside several security operatives and youth supporters protesting against the siege to the former governor’s home.
The governor’s police security team was said to have prevented the EFCC personnel from arresting the former governor.
Sahara Reporters quoted unnamed EFCC sources as saying that there would have been a bloody clash if they had gone head-to-head with the policemen.
“The Inspector General of Police reportedly gave Yahaya Bello more reinforcement through Governor Ododo to thwart his arrest.
“But we’re trying to avoid a bloody clash,” one of the sources said.
Reports said Bello deliberately left his mobile phone at the Government House in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital to avoid being tracked to Abuja, not knowing that EFCC operatives were already tracking the mobile phone of his aide which he used.
Through his aide’s mobile phone, the former governor was tracked to where he was holed up in Abuja.
The EFCC had earlier dragged Yahaya Bello, his nephew Ali Bello, one Dauda Sulaiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in an amended charge in March 2024 over an alleged N84bn money laundering.