Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday issued a warrant of arrest on the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

The warrant of arrest was issued following an ex-parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC’) on April 17, 2024.

In the motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024, the anti-graft agency prayed the court to serve Bello the charge and the proof evidence through a substituted means.

The EFCC also sought an order seeking the immediate arrest of Bello for arraignment.

The EFCC’s reliefs partly read, “an order granting leave to the complainant/applicant to effect service of the charge together with the proof of evidence on the defendant by substituted means to wit; by pasting the charge at the last known address of the defendant within the jurisdiction of this honourable court being: 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

“An order directing and/or issuing an arrest warrant for the immediate arrest of the defendant for the purpose of bringing him before this honourable court for arraignment.”

In his ruling on the motion, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the immediate arrest of the former governor of Kogi State and also directed that the former governor be produced before him on Thursday, April 18 for arraignment.

Nwite said, “It is hereby ordered as follows: That an order of this honourable court is hereby made directing and/or issuing a warrant for the immediate arrest of the defendant to bring him before this honourable court for arraignment.

“That case is adjourned to the 18th day of April 2024 for arraignment.”

It would be recalled that a High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi state, had restrained EFCC from arresting and infringing on the fundamental human rights of Bello.Court orders Yahaya Bello’s arrest

Justice I. A Jamil of High Court IV gave the restraining order in a two-hour judgment delivered in suit no HCL/68/M/2020 in Lokoja at about 12pm Wednesday.

“By this order, the EFCC is hereby restrained from arresting, detaining and prosecuting the applicant,” he said.

The EFCC had appealed against the initial order, and the appeal was scheduled for hearing on April 22. (Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello). (Courtesy, excluding headline, Nigerian Tribune)

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