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EFCC VS YAHYA BELLO: CSO’S CALL FOR ADHERENCE TO RULE OF LAW

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Anti-corruption civil society organisations have reiterated their call for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to uphold the rule of law and avoid politicising its anti-corruption mandate.

They expressed concerns over the handling of allegations against Yahaya Bello, the former Governor of Kogi State, suggesting potential risks to his safety if detained by the EFCC.

During a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, the activists highlighted the importance of impartiality in the pursuit of justice and criticised the EFCC’s failure to comply with court orders.

They emphasised the need for due process and raised questions about the validity of charges filed against Bello in light of the court’s directives.

Debo Adeniran, the chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), led the discussion, stressing the obligation to oppose injustice regardless of personal affiliations.

He underscored the principle of equality before the law and urged adherence to legal procedures in all cases.

The activists urged the EFCC to focus on the technical aspects of their cases and avoid unnecessary confrontations.

The activists called for a reevaluation of the EFCC’s handling of the case and emphasised the need for judicial remedies to address any errors committed.

They said, “In the current matter between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, our position remains that the due processes of law be followed to the letter and unconditionally.

“As you may have noticed recently, more prominent Nigerians, including legal luminaries and politically exposed persons, are coming out to speak truth to power on this matter of arrogant disobedience to lawful court orders.

“Let us reiterate the fact that the EFCC could still have achieved its objective of prosecuting Yahaya Bello simply by following the due processes of law and even might have achieved more but for its decision to act ultra vires. We need not go into the details of that again as it is already in the public domain in large volumes.”

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The reason why the EFCC rejected the method by which Yahaya Bello reported to the commission.

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“Upon realising that Bello came with the governor and some dignitaries, the Executive Chairman directed that no official should attend to him.

“His manner of coming to EFCC was a breach of our protocol. No Nigerian, no matter how highly placed, is expected to come for an invitation in a convoy of vehicles and with a sitting governor.

“To the EFCC, he came with grandeur which is contrary to our procedures.

“There are stages of documentation which Bello skipped because he was with the governor who has immunity.

“The EFCC also did not invite the governor. So, what was the basis for accompanying Bello to our headquarters in Abuja?

“We have not been comfortable with the roles of the governor in this case.

“After fulfilling all procedures of documentation, Bello was expected to come with his lawyer(s) and not a governor or Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).

“We cannot be intimidated or subject our system to political pollution.

“This made the Executive Chairman of EFCC to direct that no official should attend to Bello. He must undergo due process like every invitee.

“The commission was unhappy with the pre-emptive propaganda in the media by Bello’s team which had created false impressions.

“There was a narration that the ex-governor was already in EFCC’s custody.” A source told The Nation.

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“We must fear a second Chernobyl”

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"We must fear a second Chernobyl" © Unsplash
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On the set of French news channel LCI, Sergei Zhirnov, former member of the KGG, commented on the recent statements by the head of NATO against Russia.

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, supports the use of long-range weapons on Russian territory, which has provoked a virulent reaction from the Kremlin.

But for Sergei Jirnov, consultant for LCI:

“Stoltenberg has a cool head, he says, well, the Russians are a nuclear power, fine, but if we tremble every time there is a madman in the Duma or the Kremlin who pronounces the word nuclear, there’s no point in going out, getting up in the morning, because for two and a half years, they having been spending their time scaring us.”

And Jirnov continues: “the problem is that they’re not very careful with nuclear power. That means that they can create a second Chernobyl and that’s the problem. There are a certain number of specialists who believe that the Russian nuclear arsenal does not exist, and that it’s in a pitiful state”.

(MH with AmBar/Source: LCI/Photo: Yves Alarie/Unsplash)

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400,000 displaced as Nigerian floods worsen

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Displaced people in camp © AP video
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Aerial footage reveals the vast scale of destruction, with large parts of Borno state submerged. Floods have forced thousands into displacement camps, compounding the region’s existing humanitarian crisis caused by ongoing armed conflict.

Earlier this month, 30 people died after a dam collapse, and more floods are expected following water releases from Cameroon. In Maiduguri, the state capital, 15% of the city remains underwater.

Aid agencies warn that the situation is worsening, especially for those already displaced by violence.

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