The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally withdrawn its appeal against a Kogi high court’s order preventing the arrest of Yahaya Bello, the former governor of the state. In a notice filed on April 22, signed by its counsel, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, the EFCC acknowledged that the appeal was filed beyond the stipulated time and cited the court’s recent decision as grounds for withdrawal.
The withdrawal was based on the fact that events had overtaken the appeal, with the Kogi high court’s decision on April 17, 2024, superseding the need for further appeal. The court’s ruling restrained the EFCC from harassing, threatening, or detaining Bello, emphasizing that any charges should be brought before an appropriate court.
This development follows Bello’s earlier fundamental rights enforcement suit, filed on February 8, which sought to halt the EFCC’s actions against him, citing political motives and violations of his rights. The Kogi high court granted an interim injunction on February 9, preventing further harassment pending the determination of the substantive motion.
Despite the EFCC’s appeal against the interim injunction, the high court’s judgment on April 17 upheld the restraining order, directing the commission to pursue legal action if warranted. Notably, the EFCC had sought to arraign Bello on multiple charges, including money laundering and breach of trust, totaling N80.2 billion.
During the scheduled arraignment on April 18, Bello was absent, and his counsel argued against the jurisdiction of the court to issue the arrest warrant, referencing the existing injunction and pending appeal.