By Chijioke Kingsley
Abuja (Sundiata Post) A legal Practitioner, Barr. Lawrence Anyia has called on the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Egbetokun to recall all policeman attached to the Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo for preventing the Economic and Financial Crime Commissioner (EFCC), from arresting Yahaya Bello who was the former governor of Kogi State.
Anyia said a police officer cannot stop another police officer who has a valid order from a court and warrant from arresting an offender.
“In Fact a police duty entails that they should aid a fellow police officer who has a warrant or court order to arrest a person who is trying to evade arrest”, he said.
“If I was the IGP, as we speak I would have withdrawn all the policemen from the convoy of the Governor. It was not the Governor that the EFCC came to arrest, but an ordinary citizen.
Speaking with our correspondent on Thursday the legal practitioner added that the police attached to Governor Ododo contradicted their functions.
“What they did was a breach of their constitutional duties as well as the Police act. If the EFCC takes it up, they will be punished administratively.
“There is no reason the IGP will not call all the parties involved to find out what transpired apart from the media reports we saw”, he said.
Recall that operatives of the EFCC days ago stormed the Abuja home of former governor Yahaya Bello, located in Wuse Zone 4, Federal Capital Territory.
Media reports showed some armed EFCC personnel laying siege to the ex-governor’s home on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Consequently, Ododo arrived at Bello’s residence alongside several security operatives and youthful supporters protesting against the siege to the former governor’s home by the EFCC.
Ododo later departed from the premises while EFCC operatives still kept vigil at the residence.
The EFCC had earlier dragged Yahaya Bello, his nephew Ali, one Dauda Sulaiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in an amended charge in March 2024 over an alleged N84bn money laundering.
However, still commenting on the issue, Anyia said it was an embarrassing situation between the EFCC and the former Governor.
He said what happened touched the psyche of the Judiciary system and the criminal justice administration system of the country.
“It was unfortunate that a sitting Governor who took oath on the day of his swearing in to uphold the provisions of the constitution will turn around to negate the oath of the office he took to get himself in this wholesome embarrassment he has caused the nation”, he said.
