The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday moved to arrest the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, as the anti-graft agency prepared to arraign him over corruption charges.
The attempt to arrest the ex-governor led to the laying of siege to his residence located in Wuse Zone 4 on Wednesday.
Despite the heavy presence of EFCC operatives around Bello’s residence, his successor in office, Governor Usman Ododo, paid him a solidarity visit.
While the siege on Bello’s residence was still on, two conflicting court rulings emerged in respect to the attempt to arrest of the former governor by the EFCC.
One of the rulings, which came from a Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja, restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining or prosecuting Bello.
Justice I.A Jamil, who gave the order in a two-hour ruling on Wednesday, said that infringing on the fundamental human rights of the former Kogi is null and void except as authorised by the Court.
In another development, however, the EFCC obtained permission from the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to arrest the ex-Kogi State governor ahead of his arraignment on Thursday.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted the warrant at the instance of the EFCC.