‘How Yahaya Bello Escaped EFCC Arrest’

Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has reportedly evaded arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with the alleged assistance of his successor, Governor Usman Ododo.

The EFCC had set up an operation at the Kogi State Government Lodge in Abuja on Wednesday in an attempt to apprehend Bello, who is wanted in connection with an alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud case.

Sources speaking to Punch revealed that Ododo intervened, using his gubernatorial immunity to help Bello evade capture.

This incident mirrors a similar situation in April, when Ododo was accused of aiding Bello during another EFCC raid in Abuja, allowing the former governor to escape arrest.

Although both Bello and Ododo visited the EFCC headquarters following the incident, the commission later clarified that Bello was not in custody. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale emphasized that despite claims from Bello’s media team, no arrest had been made.

EFCC officials suggested that Ododo’s intervention played a critical role in preventing Bello’s arrest, noting that the sitting governor’s immunity restricted their ability to act.

“Yahaya Bello has not been arrested. The Kogi State governor prevented operatives from doing their work yesterday, just like he did the other time. He took him away, and our men could not act due to the immunity he (Ododo) enjoys,” one official stated.