Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has cried out on Wednesday night’s attempt by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest him forcefully.
A press statement from his media office on Wednesday about his running battle with the EFCC, said operatives of the anti-graft agency surrounded the Kogi State Government Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, and repeatedly fired gun shots in their bid to arrest him on Wednesday’s night.
The statement did not categorically say the former governor, who appears to still have a solid rapport with his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, was passing the night in the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge.
Apparently puzzled by EFCC’s late night action, the statement said the commission refused to get get hold of him for interrogation after surrendering himself earlier on Wednesday.
“Tonight’s attack was needless as the former Governor made himself available to the EFCC in their office for interrogation. The EFCC had no question to ask Alh. Yahaya Bello in the morning, but suddenly, they are out to arrest him.
“This action is condemnable. They have displayed the very reason many Nigerians believe they were fighting political battles instead of the mandate to fight corruption. This action reflects much more than the fight against corruption,” the statement read in part.
EFCC had so far issued a terse two-paragraph statement, only denying that Mr Bello was not in its custody.
It neither confirmed nor denied if Mr Bello surrendered himself at its headquarters and it refused to arrest him on Wednesday.