Kogi Government and Ododo used immunity to protect Yahaya Bello from EFCC arrest – Oshiomhole

Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole has accused Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State of using his immunity to cover for his predecessor, Yahaya Bello.

He said Ododo wrongly used his immunity by preventing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from arresting Bello.

EFCC had accused Bello of money laundering and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion.

As part of its ongoing investigation, the anti-graft agency raided Bello’s residence in Abuja, in a bid to arrest him.

But Ododo later arrived at Bello’s residence and prevented the anti-graft agency from electing his former boss.

The EFCC subsequently declared Bello’s whereabouts unknown and placed him on a watch list.

Amid the drama, the Kogi High Court ruled against the EFCC’s attempt to arrest Bello in a fundamental rights suit.

However, Oshiomhole said Ododo’s “rescue” of Bello and the former governor’s refusal to appear in court constitute a violation of the law.

Oshiomhole was speaking at the international conference ‘Revisiting the National Question: Nigeria’s Elusive Quest for National Integration’ organized by the Kukah Centre.

He said: “If you are afraid, because you are very expressive, you are independent, you cannot be fired, you cannot be promoted or demoted.

“If you are afraid to mention the name of a former governor who broke the law and a sitting governor who used his immunity to cover up for a governor who lost it, where will the courage come from?

“This sophistry of saying that we can name the son of a poor man who steals a goat but we are afraid to mention the name of an important man who broke the law, for me it is the root of our problems.”