The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a high-alert notice, declaring former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello wanted in connection with an alleged financial crime totaling N80.2 billion.

The EFCC is urging anyone with crucial information about the former Kogi governor’s location to contact either the commission or the police.

The EFCC made the announcement via its official Facebook page on Thursday evening.

The post reads “Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCC for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 Billion.

“Anybody with information as to his whereabouts should report immediately to the Commission or the nearest police Station.”

Details later…… 

In a significant legal development, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has ruled against former Governor Willie Obiano’s attempt to challenge the EFCC’s jurisdiction in prosecuting him.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, presiding over the case, delivered the verdict on Thursday, deeming Obiano’s application lacking in merit and deserving of dismissal.

This decision comes after thorough consideration, with the judge rejecting all grounds presented by Obiano’s legal team.

The judge emphasized that determining the former governor’s connection to the alleged offenses would require proper legal proceedings.

Specifically, Justice Inyang Ekwo highlighted that the pivotal issue revolved around whether the state’s security votes originated from the federation account, thus affirming the validity of the prosecution’s case.

The judge said “As long as the EFCC Act has not been declared unconstitutional, this court cannot stop the implementation of the act. The powers of the EFCC ought to be a question of law and has bearing in the 1999 Constitution.

“State security votes come from the federation account making the development a constitutional issue..This court has no powers to preempt the case of the prosecution, ”

Subsequent to the ruling, Mr. Obiano’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, made a plea for the release of his client’s international passport to facilitate medical treatment abroad.

Ikpeazu cited the defendant’s health condition and the necessity of sixty days for his treatment, assuring compliance with any conditions set by the court.

In a conciliatory stance, counsel to the EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, stated the prosecution’s lack of opposition to the application. However, Tahir expressed reservations regarding the 60 days treatment duration.

Mr Tahir said, “We are not opposed to the application but we have issues with the 60 days because the trial has been truncated already.”

The judge was inclined to grant the application, with the condition that the former governor return his international passport to the court’s registrar upon his return.

Furthermore, he adjourned the proceedings until June 24th to 27th, indicating the commencement of the trial.

Mr. Obiano, who was arraigned on January 24th, is facing trial on a nine-count charge amounting to alleged N4 billion fraud.

Previously, he filed an application challenging the EFCC’s jurisdiction to prosecute him, seeking to dismiss the charges, alleging them to be an abuse of court process and asserting the absence of a prima facie case against him.

Mr. Obiano asserted that there was no correlation between the evidence presented by the EFCC to the court and the accusations against him. He contended that no witness testified to him issuing directives for the disbursement of security votes and other government funds in Anambra State.

Furthermore, Mr. Obiano argued that he couldn’t be held responsible for any alleged unlawful actions by Anambra government officials, citing the absence of vicarious liability in the criminal justice system.

His motion on notice was based on legal provisions including sections 6 (6) (a) and (b), section 36(6) (6) b of the 1999 Constitution as amended, and section 1(1) & (2), 266, 271(b), 383(4) & 492 (3) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act 2015.

Among other requests, Mr. Obiano sought an order from the court to dismiss the current charge, arguing that it constitutes a flagrant abuse of the judicial process and undermines the integrity of the criminal justice system.

Additionally, he requested an order to quash the charge due to the alleged failure to disclose a prima facie case, asserting that the nine-count charges lacked specificity and precision.

The Kano State High Court has issued an ex parte order preventing Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, from representing himself as a party member.

Consequently, the court directed Ganduje to refrain from overseeing any activities of the National Working Committee of the APC.

This decision, made by Justice Usman Na’abba on Tuesday, stemmed from an ex parte motion filed by Dr. Ibrahim Sa’ad on behalf of two executive members of Ganduje’s ward, Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area.

The plaintiffs, Assistant Secretary Laminu Sani and Legal Adviser Haladu Gwanjo, were among the nine ward executives who suspended Ganduje on Monday.

The court instructed all four parties involved in the case, namely the APC, NWC, APC Kano State Working Committee, and Ganduje, to maintain the status quo ante belum as of April 15, 2024, until the substantive suit is resolved on April 30, 2024.

Additionally, Justice Na’abba granted the request to prevent the State Working Committee of APC Kano from interfering with the decision of Ganduje ward executives, which was duly considered and supported by a two-thirds majority of the executives, in accordance with the party constitution.

The ex parte order read,, “An order is hereby granted directing all parties in the suit APC (first), APC National Working Committee (second), Kano State Working Committee APC (third), Dr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje (fourth), to maintain status quo ante belum as of April 15, 2024.

“The order thereby restraining the first respondent (APC) from recognising the fourth respondent (Ganduje) as a member of APC and prohibiting the fourth respondent (Ganduje) from presiding over any affairs of the NWC and restraining the state Working Committee from interfering with the legally and validly decision of the ward executives of Ganduje ward.

“That the fourth respondent (Ganduje) is prohibited from parading himself as a member of APC or doing any act that may portray him or seem to be a member of APC pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

Nine members of the Ganduje ward announced the suspension of the APC’s National Chairman, citing corruption allegations leveled against him by the Kano State Government.

The suspension followed a petition from Ja’afaru Adamu, an APC member from the National Chairman’s polling unit, urging the ward leaders to investigate corruption charges against Ganduje to safeguard the party’s reputation and President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption stance.

Despite the chairman and secretary of the ward’s inaction on the April 8, 2024 petition, nine executives, led by the legal adviser, acted upon it, resulting in Ganduje’s suspension.