The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has made a public plea to the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, urging him to cooperate with ongoing investigations and present himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for a probe into alleged corrupt practices during his tenure. This call comes amid intensified drama surrounding efforts to arrest Bello for arraignment, scheduled for Thursday.
Recent endeavors by the EFCC to apprehend the former governor have been met with obstacles, sparking widespread public and media interest.
In a statement personally signed by the AGF, he expressed apprehension over the actions of the current Kogi Governor, Ahmed Ododo, who purportedly utilized his immunity to obstruct Bello’s arrest on Wednesday.
Fagbemi deemed such interventions as “unsettling” and counterproductive to the principles of justice and transparency.
“The act of leveraging one’s position to impede the lawful arrest of an individual is not only unsettling but also a form of evasion that tarnishes Nigeria’s image internationally,” Fagbemi remarked.
He underscored that the EFCC holds the legal mandate to summon any Nigerian for questioning and reaffirmed his dedication to upholding the rule of law and safeguarding the rights of all citizens.
In the concise statement, the AGF asserted, “The bizarre sequence of events confronting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in carrying out its statutory duty has come to my attention (Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice) as a matter of grave concern.
“It is now indisputable that the EFCC is empowered by the law to request any individual of interest to engage with them in the course of their investigation into any matter irrespective of status. Hence, the least we can all do when summoned, is to not obstruct EFCC’s path but to dutifully respond to their summons.
“A scenario where public officials, who themselves are subject to protection by law enforcement agencies, devise tactics to obstruct the noble and praiseworthy efforts of the EFCC to fulfill its duty is, to put it mildly, deeply unsettling.
“Evading the law does not resolve issues but only exacerbates them.
“I unequivocally affirm my commitment to the rule of law and will promptly intervene if there is any indication of violation of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies. However, I also staunchly believe that State institutions should be allowed to operate effectively and efficiently. Nigeria boasts a robust judicial system capable of safeguarding anyone who adheres to the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore urge anyone invited by the EFCC or any other agency to promptly demonstrate decency and civility by honoring such summons rather than resorting to temporary self-help and evasion that can only tarnish our country’s reputation before the international community.”
