JUST-IN: Court Stops EFCC From Arresting Ex-Kogi Gov Bello

A High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from infringing on the fundamental human rights of the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

In a two hour judgement delivered on Wednesday, at the High Court 4 and presided over by Hon. Justice I.A Jamil, in suit No: HCL/68/M/2020, the court restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant (Bello) except as authorised by the Court.

The court’s latest consequential order followed the earlier interim injunction given by the same court.

The judgement followed the suit brought before the court by Bello as the applicant, seeking to enforce his fundamental rights against the EFCC.

The Court equally restrained the respondents from continuing to persecute the Applicant.

Earlier in the judgement, the Court dismissed the issue of jurisdiction as challenged by the EFCC.

The Applicant’s Counsel, SA Abbas, and MS Yusuf, described the judgment as a landmark while the Defendant’s Counsel, T.U Odima and Patrick O. Jibril, also aligned themselves to the judgement, describing it as thorough.

LEADERSHIP earlier reported a standoff at Bello’s Abuja residence on Wednesday when armed EFCC operatives stormed the premises to carry out Bello’s arrest.