News

EFCC Advised to Follow Due Process in Its Case Against Yahaya Bello

Published

2 years ago

April 24, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

EFCC Advised to Follow Due Process in Its Case Against Yahaya Bello

By: Michael Mike

Amidst the legal fireworks on the warrant of arrest on former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, and the restraining order issued by the Kogi State High Court, a coalition of anti-corruption groups led by the Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative (ARDI) have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to follow due process in the prosecution of the former governor.

Bello is under investigation over alleged embezzlement of N80.2 billion.

On Tuesday, a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Emeka Nwite, ordered the EFCC to serve the money laundering charges against the former governor through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed.

Nwite, relying on section 382(4) and (5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), also ordered Mr Mohammed, having announced an unconditional appearance for the former governor, to accept service on behalf of the defendant.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, the publicity director of the Anti-corruption and Research-based Initiative (ARDI), Mr Nwabueze Anyanwu, who led a coalition of CSOs, said the groups had, over the last few weeks, followed with keen interest the current impasse between the EFCC and Bello, which culminated in the raid on his private residence in Abuja.

He said the Coalition’s “concern hinges on the need for both parties to work within the ambit of the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to avoid subjecting the War on Corruption in this country to further odium in the eyes of right-thinking people, as well as do our bit to avert the ongoing and needless overheating of our polity.”

The coalition claimed that the anti-graft agency has not extended to Bello the customary investigation to visit her offices for the purposes of assisting her in any investigations

It stressed that it could not also find evidence anywhere, no matter how remote, where the Commission has asserted that she did extend such an invitation to him.

Ozugbi said the coalition knows that the Commission would usually send an invitation letter, and often several reminders, to a respondent in any petition before even seeking warrants of arrest, and certainly long before taking drastic actions like the raid it conducted last Thursday.

He added: “The attempt by officers of the EFCC to arrest Alhaji Yahaya Bello is in flagrant disregard of a subsisting court order that comprehensively bars her from doing so based on a determination that their actions in the entire circumstances of the case amount to actual and threatened breach of all of his fundamental human rights

“The EFCC is currently at the Appeal Court to challenge that subsisting order of the High Court of Kogi State and the Appellate Court has insisted that parties should maintain the status quo pending determination of the appeal. We are convinced that the EFCC has breached both the principles of the sanctity of court orders and the pendency of suits by her subsequent actions.

“This informs our conclusion that the EFCC’s raid on Yahaya Bello’s Residence at No. 9 Benghazi Street, Zone 4, Wuse, Abuja, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, is in disobedience of subsisting orders of courts and practice procedure, making it both regrettable and an aberration under the Rule of Law.”

It further recalled that EFCC, under the leadership of Abdul Rasheed Bawa, had previously accused Bello of hiding the sum of $20 billion as bail-out money due to Kogi State in a Sterling Bank account and for his own aggrandisement and personal enrichment

It said that from 2022, when it first became breaking news at the instance of the EFCC, till today, the agency could not substantiate that particular allegation against Bello in any court of law with the same energy with which it tried and found him guilty of it in the media.
“The sundry allegations of embezzlement of a whopping sum of N80.2bn by EFCC against Alhaji Yahaya Bello is poorly presented and appear to be politically motivated

“The EFCC, under the leadership of Abdul Rasheed Bawa (former Chairman of the Commission), had previously accused Alhaji Yahaya Bello of hiding a whooping sum of N20billion being bail-out money due to Kogi State in a Sterling Bank account, and for his own aggrandisement and personal enrichment

“From 2022, when it first became breaking news at the instance of the EFCC, till today, the agency could not substantiate that particular allegation against Alhaji Yahaya Bello in any court of law with the same energy with which it tried and found him guilty of it in the media. As it is, those allegations seem to have evaporated with the exit of Bawa as chairman, while new allegations have surfaced under the newest leadership.

“The EFCC originally alleged that the N80.2bn embezzlement occurred in September 2015, except that will put the alleged offence several months before Alhaji Yahaya Bello assumed office for the first time as Kogi State Governor, having not been an official or servant of the Kogi State Government in any capacity prior to then.

“Perhaps, confronted with the incongruity of that accusation, the Commission later amended the date to February 2016, that is, just 3 weeks after he assumed office, and by which time the records show that his administration was yet to collect its first federal allocation. The Anti-Corruption Coalition will really appreciate deeper insight from the Anti-Corruption agency on the mechanics of these charges.

“The inconsistencies in the allegations by the EFCC against Alhaji Yahaya Bello clearly show that the allegations lack substance. Moreover, the EFCC has continued a sensational media trial of Alhaji Yahaya Bello with media releases in a staccato fashion that call to question how they serve the interests of justice in the matter.”

EFCC Advised to Follow Due Process in Its Case Against Yahaya Bello

News

80 militants surrender arms, embrace amnesty in Cross River

Published

9 hours ago

January 17, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

80 militants surrender arms, embrace amnesty in Cross River

By: Zagazola Makama

No fewer than 80 militants operating in the creeks of Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State have voluntarily surrendered their arms and embraced the state government’s peace and reintegration Amnesty framework.

The militants came out in large numbers from the creeks on Friday at Atimbo Rear Area under Operation OKWOK, within the Area of Responsibility of Headquarters 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army and is already being described by as a strategic breakthrough in the fight against coastal militancy and maritime crime in southern Cross River.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the surrender was the outcome of months of sustained military pressure combined with discreet dialogue involving community leaders, government officials and security agencies.

Two militant camps dismantled themselves in one coordinated move. The first camp, headed by ThankGod Ebikontei, popularly known as Ayibanuagha, presented 39 fighters. Four additional members, officials said, are expected to report in the coming days.

The second camp, commanded by John Isaac, alias Akpokolo, brought forward 41 fighters. His group, widely known along the waterways as the Akpokolo Marine Forces or “Border Boys,” had controlled large stretches of creeks linking Cross River to neighbouring coastal corridors.

Ten more of his fighters are also expected to join the amnesty process. In total, 80 militants formally stepped out of the creeks and into a state-supervised disarmament and rehabilitation programme.

The disarmament was not symbolic. A significant cache of weapons, equipment and operational assets was voluntarily handed over, illustrating the firepower the groups once commanded.

The sources said that items surrendered included AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, a Mark 4 rifle, a G3 rifle, multiple single-barrel guns, magazines, speedboats, high-powered boat engines, locally fabricated pistols and assorted military kits.

Of particular concern to security officials was the surrender of an explosive charge and live ammunition, which draw to the attention of the destructive capacity the groups had at their disposal. Also surrendered were machetes, camouflage clothing, tactical vests, knee and elbow guards, and communication tools, all of which painted a picture of organised armed groups rather than loosely structured criminal gangs.

For the Nigerian Army, the scale and quality of the surrendered items confirmed that the amnesty was reaching core actors, not just foot soldiers.

Brig.-Gen. P.O. Alimikhena, Commander of 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army, described the development as a “confidence-building milestone” that validates the military’s dual-track strategy.

“This voluntary surrender shows that consistent operations, combined with constructive dialogue and strong collaboration with the Cross River State Government and other security agencies, can deliver peace,” Alimikhena said.

“We will continue to secure the environment while supporting lawful initiatives that reintegrate repentant youths and ensure lasting stability.”he said.

Military sources said the success in Akpabuyo followed intensified patrols, improved intelligence flow and engagement with local power structures in creek communities.

After the formal disarmament, the former militants were handed over to the Cross River State Government’s Rapid Response Team.
They are currently undergoing profiling by the Department of State Services (DSS) at Muka Sam Hotel in Ikot Ansa, Calabar.

The exercise is designed to verify identities, assess security risks and determine eligibility for rehabilitation, skills training and reintegration support. Officials said the profiling phase is crucial to ensuring that only genuine repentant militants benefit from the programme and that criminal elements do not exploit the amnesty.

Akpabuyo Local Government Area sits along a strategic maritime corridor that links Cross River’s inland communities to coastal and cross-border trading routes. For years, militancy in the area has affected fishing, boat transport, palm produce trade and cross-border commerce with Cameroon.

Sea robbery, illegal taxation of fishermen, extortion and violent turf battles turned the creeks into zones of fear. The collective withdrawal of two major camps in one day is therefore both a psychological and operational shift. It sends a signal that militancy is no longer the dominant survival strategy for youths in the area.

The Nigerian Army credited the success of the Akpabuyo amnesty to what it called “effective civil-military collaboration,” singling out the Cross River State Government under Gov. Bassey Edet Otu for sustained political backing, coordination and logistical support.

Sources said the state government’s willingness to invest in dialogue, rehabilitation and youth empowerment made the option of peace more attractive than continued life in the creeks.

Beyond the powerful images of surrendered weapons and surrendered men, officials insist the hardest phase lies ahead. Reintegration, monitoring and economic re-engagement will determine whether the peace holds or unravels.

Headquarters 13 Brigade has reaffirmed its commitment to consolidating the gains, warning that while the door to peace remains open, security forces will maintain pressure against any group that chooses violence over dialogue.

They has urged the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that the breakthrough in Akpabuyo is not an endpoint, but the foundation for a safer and more stable Cross River State.

80 militants surrender arms, embrace amnesty in Cross River

News

Zulum Dismisses Claims of Favoring Candidates for APC Congress

Published

16 hours ago

January 17, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Zulum Dismisses Claims of Favoring Candidates for APC Congress

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has firmly dismissed rumours circulating that he has anointed individuals for executive positions in the forthcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) party congresses.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Dauda Iliya, the Governor described the claims as the handiwork of mischief-makers seeking to cause disaffection within the party.

Governor Zulum emphasised that he has not in any fora endorsed any candidate for any party position, whether in Gwoza Local Government Area or any of the state’s 27 local government areas.

“Let me categorically state that I have not anointed any person for the position of Chairman or Secretary of APC in Gwoza local government in the forthcoming party congress. I wish to also stress that I have not anointed any person for any position in the APC congress in any of the 27 local government areas,” Governor Zulum stated.

He further called on party members to disregard the false information, saying, “I am calling on our party faithful and supporters to disregard the rumour as it is a calculated attempt to create disaffection and derail the party from its trajectory.”

The Governor instead urged party stakeholders to continue constructive consultations aimed at identifying credible candidates to be fielded for all party positions.

Zulum Dismisses Claims of Favoring Candidates for APC Congress

News

VP Shettima Arrives In Guinea For President Doumbouya’s Inauguration

Published

16 hours ago

January 17, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima Arrives In Guinea For President Doumbouya’s Inauguration

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the inauguration of President-elect Mamady Doumbouya.

The Vice President was received by senior Guinean government officials and members of the Nigerian diplomatic corps ahead of the official ceremony, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 17, at the GLC Stadium in Nongo.

The inauguration of President Doumbouya follows his victory in the December 2025 general elections, signalling the formal end of a four-year military transition.

The Vice President’s attendance at the inauguration affirms Nigeria’s leadership role within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its commitment to the restoration of constitutional order across the sub-region.

Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, Nigeria has continued to position itself as a stabilising force, advocating for democratic governance as a prerequisite for regional prosperity.