The former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has taken legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by appealing to the Supreme Court regarding his status as a wanted individual. This move comes in response to a 19-count charge against him for alleged involvement in money laundering, amounting to ₦80.2 billion.
Bello was scheduled to appear for arraignment at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday. However, his legal team, led by Mr. A. M. Adoyi, brought the pending appeal before Justice Emeka Nwite’s attention. Adoyi stated that the affidavit of record for the appeal was filed on September 23, seeking to overturn the arrest warrant issued against Bello on April 17.
Adoyi requested that the trial court postpone the arraignment until the Supreme Court rules on the appeal, emphasizing the importance of respecting the appellate process. “My lord, the appeal number is SC/CR/847/2024 and SC/CR/848/2024. We believe that it is prudent to await the Supreme Court’s decision before proceeding with the arraignment,” he argued.
In contrast, EFCC counsel Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, suggested that Bello’s lawyer should be referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for misconduct. He accused the defense of undermining judicial integrity, asserting that the court had previously decided not to entertain any applications from Bello until he was available for trial.
Pinheiro criticized Bello’s actions, pointing out that instead of presenting himself for trial, he reportedly visited the EFCC’s office but refused to comply with requests to come alone, which raised concerns about possible disorder.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite adjourned the case until October 30 for a ruling on the matter.
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