Crime
Bello Must Have His Day In Court – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has categorically stated that, “a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello had made several unsuccessful attempts to throw spanners in his ongoing trial through some irresponsible and utterly rascally efforts.”
This was disclosed in a statement on its verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Thursday, where it declared that “The appropriate place of surrender would be before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, before whom his legal team had undertaken to produce him to answer to the 18-count charges of money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.”
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According to the EFCC, Bello should be more interested in clearing his name than playing the victim and crying persecution, where none exists.
To even insinuate that he was the target of a phantom assassination attempt because the EFCC made efforts to effect his arrest at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge where he had been hiding, is preposterous. It is the first time in the Commission’s more than two decades existence that such a jejune claim would be made. This is no more than scaremongering, intended to scandalise the Commission.
But the EFCC is not deterred by this, and other shenanigans by the ex-governor. The Commission remains committed to ensuring that the law takes its course in the money laundering charges already filed against Yahaya Bello in Court.
The EFCC is eager to engage the former governor in the courtroom where the avalanche of evidence so painstakingly assembled can be presented and arguments marshalled for justice to be served to all parties involved in this saga.
“The true test of Yahaya Bello’s willingness to abide by the law in the criminal proceedings instituted against him at the Federal High Court Abuja by the EFCC is to present himself to the court in obedience to the order of Justice Nwite. His presence in court is the only step that will convince Nigerians that his touted submission to the EFCC which was widely reported in the media on September 18, was not a stunt”, the statement added.
It noted that Bello was yet to take his plea in the alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges preferred against him before Justice Nwite. His invasion of the corporate headquarters of the Commission with a retinue of security details, hand-to-hand cahoots and carriage with a sitting governor having immunity, unwarranted media blitz, scripted sleight of hands unknown to the public and other backend intelligence available to the Commission, compelled a tactical rebuff of his touted surrender offer.
The incident of Wednesday, September 18, 2024, regarding the orchestrated antics of the former governor to surrender himself to the EFCC, having denied being invited by the Commission and operating underground as a fugitive for several months, expectedly raised concerns and curiosity of many Nigerians who had been waiting frantically for his arrest and trial.
As a responsible anti-graft agency, the EFCC is sensitive to public opinions, especially if they are in tandem with its operational codes and Standard Operating Procedures. However, no hysteria, blackmail, sentiment or coordinated attacks in some section of the media would make the Commission compromise its integrity.
“Yahaya Bello’s matter cannot define the success or failure of the works of the EFCC, as the scorecard of the Commission is remarkable and undeniably impressive.
“The EFCC is not unaware of the fact that corruption fights back. Bello must have his day in court, no matter the recourse to blackmail, appeal to emotive public sympathy or acts of brigandage.
“Within the year, the Commission had arraigned three former ministers, two ex-governors, several top government officials, captains of industries, internet fraudsters and many more would be arraigned in due course. Every former governor, minister, head of ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs being investigated by the Commission would soon be charged to court”, it added.
The EFCC is not running a circus show. Corruption issues should not be turned into a theatre of the absurd. Those who harbor a criminal suspect should know that the act is also a criminal offence which is also punishable in law.
While the EFCC is assuring the public of its unfaltering focus and commitment to continue to tackle every issue of economic and financial crime without fear or favour, there is need to remind Nigerians that corruption does fight back and caution and restraint should always be exercised in responding to the operational mechanics and dynamics of the Commission. The EFCC would continue with its no sacred cow policy, no matter whose ox is gored.
A N50 billion lawsuit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against the Federal Government has been struck out by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who presided over the matter on Thursday, ruled that the suit was no longer sustainable due to “lack of diligent prosecution.”
The decision came after neither Kanu nor representatives of the Federal Government appeared in court for the hearing.
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This was not the first time the case had been stalled. According to the judge, “the case had taken three adjournments due to no representation.”
At the last sitting, only counsel for the Federal Government was present, while Kanu’s legal team was absent.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/462/2022, was originally filed on April 7, 2022, by Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, on behalf of Kanu. In the suit, the IPOB leader accused the government of violating his fundamental rights, claiming he was abducted from Kenya and forcibly returned to Nigeria to face trial.
Kanu urged the court to determine “whether the way and manner in which he was abducted in Kenya and extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria is consistent with extant laws.”
He cited legal provisions such as “Article 12(4) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004,” and “Article/Part 5(a) of the African Charter’s principles and guidelines on human and peoples’ rights while countering terrorism in Africa.”
Kanu also sought the court’s view on whether, under “Section 15 of the Extradition Act Cap E25, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004,” he could be lawfully tried on a 15-count amended charge when the offences allegedly do not match those for which he was renditioned.
In total, he requested 11 reliefs, including an order for his release from the Department of State Services (DSS) custody, and a restraint against further prosecution in the criminal matter with charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, currently before Justice Binta Nyako. He also asked for “the sum of N100 million as the cost of this action.”
However, the Federal Government and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), listed as the 1st and 2nd defendants, filed a preliminary objection. In the notice dated June 6 but filed June 27, 2022, they argued that the case was “an abuse of court process.”
They pointed out that Kanu had filed a similar suit with identical facts at the Federal High Court in Umuahia (FHC/UM/CS/30/2022), involving the same parties. As such, they contended, the Abuja court lacked jurisdiction to entertain a duplicate case.
Adding to the confusion in legal representation, Kanu’s counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, informed the court during an earlier proceeding that he had filed a notice to take over the case from Ozekhome.
What began as a celebration ended behind bars for a Kano-based make-up artist, Abdullahi Huseini, popularly known as Amuscap, after a Federal High Court sentenced him to six months in prison for abusing the Nigerian currency during his wedding ceremony.
Huseini was convicted on a one-count charge of naira abuse brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after he was caught on video spraying bundles of N1000 notes, a sum totaling N100,000 while dancing at his wedding reception held at the Ali Jita Event Centre on December 6, 2024.
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Justice S.M. Shuaibu delivered the ruling after the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge. There was no option of fine.
The charge against him read: “That you, Abdullahi Musa Huseini, on the 6th day of December, 2024, at Ali Jita Event Centre, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst dancing during a social event tampered with the sum N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) in 1000 notes denomination issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”
According to the EFCC, Huseini’s arrest followed credible intelligence linking him to currency mutilation.
“The convict was arrested following credible intelligence on his involvement in the deliberate mutilation of the Nigerian currency by spraying it at his own wedding celebration,” the agency said in a statement.
At the hearing, EFCC counsel Zarami Mohammed presented the facts of the case and submitted video evidence. Justice Shuaibu thereafter found Huseini guilty and imposed a custodial sentence.
“Upon arraignment, Huseini pleaded guilty to the charge, prompting the prosecution counsel, Zarami Mohammed, to present the facts of the case and tender evidence before the court. Delivering judgment, Justice Shuaibu found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to six months imprisonment without an option of fine,” the EFCC added.
The anti-graft agency noted that Huseini’s action was in defiance of ongoing warnings against the abuse and defacement of the naira.
“Investigations revealed that Huseini willfully defaced and abused the Naira notes in defiance of warnings and campaigns against the practice by the EFCC,” the statement added.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has condemned in strong terms the setting ablaze of some suspected kidnappers by residents of a community in Uromi, East North East Local Government Area.
Describing the act as barbaric and condemn-able, the Governor represented by the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Government House, SP Solomon Osaghale, vowed to ensure that the perpetuators are brought to justice and made to face the full wrath of the law.
He stressed that such a barbaric act is strange in our climes and will not be tolerated in the State.
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SP Osaghale said he was in Uromi at the instance of the Governor to ascertain the level of damage done and to ensure that prompt and full investigation was carried out to ensure justice so as to forestall a reoccurrence.
He revealed that investigations have shown that the people who were killed had boarded a commercial truck and was stopped by members of local security who upon searching of the vehicle, discovered some guns, a situation that led to the mob attack by persons around the vicinity.
While condemning the act, he restated that nobody had the right to take another man’s life, stressing that the nature of the barbaric killing was a cause of concern to the Governor.
SP Oseghale said, “His Excellency, the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo on getting the news of this incident, directed me to immediately come here and find out what transpired as the news of what happened here is a sign of worry to our Governor whose desire is to create a prosperous State void of dastardly acts like this.
“I can assure you that the people involved in this unprovoked attacked will not go scot -free, as His Excellency has directed the Commissioner of Police to launch a full scale investigation into the matter. As I speak now, over four persons have been arrested for their involvement in this ugly incidence.”
The CSO called for calm, while assuring the law abiding residents of Uromi, especially the Hausa Community in the area to go about their daily activities, as men of the Nigerian police force and other security agencies have been deployed to restore peace and normalcy to the place.
Appreciating the Governor for his swift response, the leader of the Hausa Community in Uromi, Mal Aliyu Haruna, thanked Governor Okpebholo for deploying the CSO and other security personnel to the community.
Haruna acknowledged that their presence has brought calm and reassurance to the Hausa Community in the area, as there was palpable fear and unease in their camp following the unfortunate incidence which he noted has never happened before in the local government.
“We want to sincerely thank the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo for his swift response to the occurrence of this ugly incidence. I must tell you that this is the first time a thing like this is happening in Uromi and it baffles me because, Uromi people have been so accommodating to us in the Hausa Community.
“Over the years, we have lived peacefully among the indigenes. Our sojourn in this land has spanned over seventy years. I was given birth to here, and so are many other people you are seeing here today,” Haruna said.
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