April 18, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said the immunity that covers Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, does not extend to his home.
EFCC’s lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), stated this on Thursday, before a Federal High Court in Abuja while accusing Governor Ododo of frustrating the anti-graft agency’s effort to arrest the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
THEWILL reports that operatives of the EFCC, who laid siege on the Abuja home of former Governor Yahaya Bello, were prevented from effecting his arrest on Wednesday when Governor Ododo whisked him away in his official car from the house.
Speaking on Thursday, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Pinheiro threatened that the EFCC will invite the military to invade the building where he is being kept to execute the order of the court.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Wednesday, ordered the arrest of Yahaya Bello to produce him in court to face alleged money laundering charges.
The EFCC had dragged Yahaya Bello, his nephew Ali, one Dauda Sulaiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu before the Federal High Court, Abuja, in an amended charge in March 2024 over an alleged N84 billion money laundering.
Unable to produce Bello in court on Thursday, Pinheiro said, “What happened yesterday was that a person with immunity (Ododo) came to whisk him (Bello) away to abort his arrest.
“We know that he is being kept in his successor’s house. Immunity is not attached to a home but to a person.
“We can invite the military to invade the building where he is being kept to execute the order of this court. What is edifying for him is to come to court and not to continue to play games.
“We want to come next week so that we can produce him. We know what to do. He cannot stand in the way of the Constitution.
“A former president of the United States was indicted, he is attending court. He did not play pranks by filing frivolous cases.
“If he believes he is innocent, he should come before the court and defend it here.”
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