“Yahaya Bello Is Not a Criminal”: Lawyers, Activists Blast EFCC Over Invasion of Kogi Govt Lodge

• A coalition of 300 lawyers and human rights activists have threatened to take legal action should the EFCC continue to humiliate former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello
• The Anti-Corruption and Transparency Network (ACTN) said EFCC should stop intimidating Bello as the former governor is not a criminal
• The group said EFCC’s actions justify insinuations that the case against Bello is a grand conspiracy by political enemies to silence him

TheTalk.NG journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international events.

FCT, Abuja – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been lambasted over its alleged violation of former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello’s fundamental rights.

A coalition of 300 lawyers and human rights activists expressed concern over the EFCC’s invasion of the Kogi state government lodge in Abuja in a “gestapo manner,” firing live ammunition.

The group said EFCC must accord Bello due respect
Photo credit: Yahaya Bello/EFCCSource: UGC

The Anti-Corruption and Transparency Network (ACTN) said EFCC must accord Bello his due respect and stop intimidating and harassing him.

The group made this known in a statement issued at a press in Abuja on Thursday, September 19, and made available to TheTalk.NG.

They said this happened despite Bello voluntarily submitting himself to the commission earlier in the day.

According to the statement, EFCC’s actions justify insinuations that the case against Bello is a grand conspiracy by political enemies to silence him and diminish his growing political influence.

“Yahaya Bello is not a criminal; he is still innocent in the eyes of the law as he has not been declared guilty by any court of competent jurisdiction. He was a former governor who served his state for 8 years. He must be accorded his due respect by the EFCC.

“Recent actions of the EFCC suggest that the commission is acting a script with a premeditated outcome and in this case, the defendant has the right to insist that he will no longer submit himself to the EFCC but to another law enforcement agency. This is because his life appears to be at risk right now.

“We will not hesitate to explore every action legally permissible should the EFCC continue in its lawless and illegal attempt to humiliate, intimidate, and trample on the rights of a citizen of Nigeria.”

Yahaya Bello: PDP chieftain backs EFCC

Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that Usman Okai Austin, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi state, backed the EFCC’s decision to place Bello on Interpol watch.

Okai who was the PDP candidate in 2023 for the Dekina/Bassa house of representatives election, maintained that this move rekindled the hope for justice in the face of alleged wrongdoing.

Source: TheTalk.NG

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