joshuaTHE EFCC PURPORTED MANHUNT OF FORMER GOVERNOR YAHAYA BELLO…
A Theatrical Display of Paradoxical Idiosyncrasies
The recent happenings in the EFCC vs Yahaya Bello case has shown that the former Governor was right not to have been allowed in the manner the EFCC wanted to.
Their satanic manhunt was sinister and highly suspicious. Now the former governor has been vindicated.
We’ll recall that on April 18th, 2024, the EFCC declared former Governor Yahaya Bello wanted for allegedly laundering ₦80.2 billion when he was Governor of Kogi State. The EFCC through their spokesperson, Dele Oyewole continued to affirm and reaffirm their position that the arrest warrant against the former governor subsist, even when he was consistently represented in court. The trial Judge in cohort with the EFCC insisted that he must appear in person, as if he is the lawyer representing himself. It is now becoming clearer why the prosecutor insisted that Yahaya Bello must physically appear in Court even when his lawyers had filled motions to quash the arrest warrant, arguing and stating his client’s willingness to cooperate with the anti graft agency.
When the EFCC declared the former governor wanted and was busy brandishing his photos in major media platforms and he cried out that his manhunt was cynical, clandestine, and politically motivated to disparage and diminish his towering political profile, many did not believe him. However, the brazen show of shame displayed by the EFCC when the same Yahaya Bello voluntarily presented himself in their office. This event has got many right thinking Nigerians wondering and have come to accept that the former governor was right to have delayed in honouring their clandestine invitation.
Nigerians and people allover have begin to question the credibility of the EFCC, and what other vested interest they have in Yahaya Bello other than performing their duties. It is now clear that their media trial of the former governor was all in a bid to give the dog a bad name in order to hang it.
Yahaya Bello has consistently stated that as a law abiding citizen he was ready to cooperate and comply with the EFCC so long as his fundamental rights are not breached, that his delay in appearing before them was in self preservation, which of course is the first law of human existence.
In Chinua Achebe’s epic novel, Things Fall Apart, Eneke the bird Said, ” since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching”.
Former Governor Yahaya Bello has always been a law abiding citizen of this country, what he only asked for was for his fundamental rights to be guaranteed and protected. Is that too much to ask by a man who has selflessly served this nation in his capacity as a Governor for eight years? What does the EFCC want, who is using them against Yahaya Bello, what different offence from others has he allegedly committed that they seek to forcefully terminate his life and diminish his towering political profile? All these questions are begging for answers as Nigerians have come to see the true intent of the EFCC.
Is not funny that a man you spent millions of tax payers money to hunt down, splash his photos on newspapers to declare him wanted, voluntarily presented himself to you, waited in your office for hours, only for you to shamelessly show up and asked him to go back home that you cannot attend to him. Then chose the middle of the night to besiege a government facility with trigger happy, gunthrothen ready-to-kill agents in the guise of wanting to arrest the same person.
Why does the EFCC want to kill Yahaya Bello, why do they not want him to voluntarily present himself to them? This is truly an indication that the life of former Governor Yahaya Bello is in danger. Should they be a particular way in which a person whom you’ve declared wanted should present himself before you accept to interrogate him, did he come different from the way others before him presented themselves before they were attended to? Was former Governor Fayose not accompanied to the EFCC by Nyisome Wike when he was a sitting Governor of Rivers State?
People who have been alleged to commit more serious crimes than that Which Yahaya Bello is being accused of are moving freely and enjoying their lives, some are even former Governors like him, serving Senators, serving Ministers, National Chairmen of political Parties. How has Yahaya Bello “sined” differently?
Nigerians are no longer are no longer comfortable with the EFCC, and fear for the life of former Governor Yahaya Bello, and wants the whole world to note this unwarranted provocation and orchestrated political vendetta.
The EFCC should stop this media trial and allow the court to do their job. As a government agency they should be seen to live above board and manipulations. They should stop allowing people to use them against their perceived enemies.
The acts by Which they live and the attitude by which they act must be clear beyond question. If they permit themselves to be used and tempted by narrow self-interest and vain ambition, if they barter their integrity for short term advantage who will listen when they claim to act and speak for conscience, and who will contend that their words deserved to be heeded. They must learn to act and speak out unbiasedly on issues openly and honestly in blunt terms of rights and wrongs. Lastly, let them be true professionals and be sincere to the oath they have taken to be just so that their integrity will serve and honour them.
Hon. Victoria U. Akubo
Writes from Abuja-Nigeria.
