Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have stormed the Abuja home of a former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, located in Wuse Zone 4, Federal Capital Territory.

Photographs seen by our correspondent on Wednesday show some armed EFCC personnel laying siege to the ex-governor’s home on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

As of press time, our correspondent could not independently confirm the reason behind the siege on Bello’s home as the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, did not respond to inquiries concerning the development.

However, 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.

Reacting to the development, the ex-governor’s media office, in a statement, condemned the operatives’ actions while urging President Bola Tinubu to caution the EFCC.

According to the statement, the presence of the operatives in Bello’s residence negated the order of injunction granted on February 9, 2024, by the High Court of Justice, Lokoja Division, in Suit No. HCL/68M/2024 between Yahaya Bello v. EFCC, restraining the commission either by itself or its agents from harassing, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting him, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive fundamental rights enforcement action.

The statement read, “The EFCC was duly served with that order on February 12, 2024, and on February 26, 2024, the EFCC filed an appeal (Appeal No.: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello) against the said order to the Court of Appeal Abuja Division. The appeal was accompanied by a Motion for a Stay of Execution of the order of the High Court, which the Court of Appeal adjourned for hearing till April 22, 2024.

“Furthermore, judgment in the substantive case between Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the EFCC will be delivered at 12 noon today in Lokoja.

“Contrary to all of the above, the EFCC has now laid siege to the home of H.E Yahaya Bello, seeking to arrest him in contravention of the extant orders!

“It is a surprise that an agency led by a lawyer could flagrantly disobey a subsisting court order by taking actions contrary to the reliefs granted.

“We are aware of the total commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s current administration to the rule of law and can say categorically that the EFCC leadership might have offered the agency on a platter of gold to desperate politicians to convert it to their score-settling tool without minding the effect on its integrity and the image of Nigeria as regards the rule of law.”

The ex-governor’s media office further alleged that the anti-graft agency was plotting to embarrass and harass him through spurious allegations, especially the latest one dating back to September 2015, long before he assumed office.

The anti-graft agency, in the 17-count amended charge, accused Yahaya Bello of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N84,062,406,089.88.

The EFCC had claimed in the amended charge that the former governor was at large.

Prior to the charge, the EFCC had arraigned Bello’s nephew, Ali Bello, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for alleged money laundering involving N10bn belonging to the Kogi State Government.

However, the state government faulted the charge, describing it as “ridiculous” and “laughable,” adding that it was impossible, as the former governor was not yet able to access or misappropriate state funds at the said time.

The state government, in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, had on February 7, 2024, accused the EFCC of being “infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of ‘Mr. President’ to defeat corruption in Nigeria.”

Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, Yahaya Adoza Bello (still at large) and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large), sometime in September, 2015 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80,246,470,089.88 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(b) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended,” the EFCC said in a release sent to SaharaReporters.

“While ex-Governor Yahaya Bello and Hudu are still at large, Ali Bello and Suleiman, first and second defendants respectively, who were present in court “pleaded not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, on Tuesday, destroyed 304,436 kg and 40,042 litres of illicit substances seized from parts of Lagos and Ogun states.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement made available to journalists, said the seized drugs were publicly destroyed in Badagry, Lagos.

Babafemi quoted the agency’s Chairman, Brig.- Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), as saying that the open destruction of the seized illicit drugs followed court orders.

He was also said to have called for more public support for ongoing efforts by the NDLEA and other stakeholders to curb the menace of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.

“Though a routine exercise and an established process of removing dangerous substances from our society, the public destruction of confiscated illicit drugs is usually conducted at the end of their related cases in court”, the NDLEA boss stated, adding that the exhibits being destroyed were of mixed types, “which include illicit drugs in solid and liquid states as well as in various classes such as cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and tramadol, among others.”

He said the drugs were seized by the agency’s operatives across different formations in Lagos and Ogun states from January 2022 till date, especially at the Lagos seaports, airports, and land borders.

“To be destroyed here today on the order of the court are solid drugs, weighing 304,436.055kg and 40, 042. 621 litres of liquid drugs. The sheer volume of the drug haul speaks volumes about the extent of the nefarious activities of the drug underworld,” Marwa said.

He thanked traditional rulers, heads of security agencies, the clergy, members of NGOs and CSOs, as well as other stakeholders who witnessed the ceremony.

“The destruction of these seizures complies with the NDLEA Act, which mandates the Agency to destroy all drug exhibits after prosecution. We want to say that your presence here is a testament to this important occasion. To this end, we appreciate all stakeholders and members of the public for witnessing this exercise”, he added.

Marwa commended the Agency’s local and international partners, “especially the American Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA); United Kingdom NCA, Border Force; the Germans, the French; and Indian NCB, among others who had worked with us on a number of busts. Similarly, we appreciate the Nigerian military and other law enforcement agencies such as the Customs; Immigration; Police; Civil Defence; FRSC; NFIU, NAFDAC and others that have been supporting our efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs.”

While assuring all that the NDLEA will not relent in its effort to end the drug scourge in the country, Marwa called for more public support for the activities of the agency.

“The safety of our society is the responsibility of every one of us. Every citizen shall be fulfilling his or her civic duty by assisting the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign to clean up our communities and cities. Together, we can make this country secure”, he added.

Similarly, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the NDLEA to tackle the scourge of illicit drugs in the country.

“Almost all crimes and criminalities are fueled by illicit drugs, so the Lagos State government appreciates the NDLEA and its leadership in their resolute fight against illicit drugs. The volume of illicit drugs being destroyed here today speaks volumes, and every right-thinking person should be worried,” he stated.

Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Chairman, Badagry West Local Government, Mr Olusegun Onilude, also thanked the agency for taking the War Against Drug Abuse social advocacy campaign to schools and communities across Lagos State.

“No doubt, the NDLEA is working, and the state will continue to collaborate with the agency and its leadership,” he added.

There is confusion in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State following the murder of a 70-year-old woman, Mma-Offiong James Peter, by her son, Inyangake James Peter.

The suspect, who was arrested by the police on April 4, 2024, at about 9:00 am, said he acted based on a voice which kept prompting him to kill her.

This was contained in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Akwa Ibom State Command, Odiko Macdon, on Monday.

The statement read, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested one Inyangake James Peter, 40 years old for gruesomely murdering his biological mother, one Mma-Offiong James Peter, about 70 years old on 4/4/2024 at about 9:00 am at Ikpe Annang Village in Etim Ekpo LGA.

“The Suspect who confessed to the crime has been transferred to the state CID for discrete investigation.

“The suspect on interrogation alleged that he had a voice saying ‘kill her’, ‘kill her’, and he decided to oblige.”

In a related development, the statement added that the police have also arrested one Solomon Asuquo Isaac, who murdered his son as a result of a family misunderstanding.

It further read, “Also one Solomon Asuquo Isaac of Ikot Obok Nsit in Nsit Ibom LGA who murdered his son, one Iboro Isaac, 18-years-old, last year as a result of a family misunderstanding, has been arrested

“Cases of some family members killing their biological relations have been of great concern to the Command in recent times.

The statement added that the command also arrested another suspect for possession of arms and ammunition.

“On 9/4/2024, Anti-Robbery Squad of the Command on stop and search intercepted and arrested one Ekemini Edet Akpan of Ekpene Ikpan Village, Nsit Ibom LGA along Calabar Itu Highway by Raycon Construction Company, for having one locally made gun, one revolver pistol and eighteen live cartridges.

“Suspects will be charged to court after investigation”, the statement concluded.

In April 2020, Theheute reported that a 37-year-old man in Anambra State, Chigorom Ezeofor, allegedly hacked his father to death.

Theheute gathered that the incident occurred in Umuchiana village in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

A family source told our correspondent that the suspect had been exhibiting some unusual behaviour before the incident occurred.