A non-governmental organisation, Journalists Against Corruption (JAC) has condemned the former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello over his failure to appear in court to answer to the charges of money-laundering of over N80 billion preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Bello was due to appear at the Federal High Court in Abuja today (Wednesday), but for the umpteenth time he failed to show up for his arraignment.

The former Governor has been avoiding his arraignment since April 2024, stalling on seven occasions, his arraignment on charges involving alleged diversion of more than N80 billion belonging to the Kogi State Government during his eight-year tenure.

The trial court had on the 17th of July, 2024 rescheduled Bello’s arraignment to 25th September, 2024.

This is even as the Court of Appeal in Abuja had on the 17th and 20th of August, 2024 delivered two judgments in which it ordered Bello to make himself available for arraignment before taking any further steps regarding the matter.

In a statement issued by JAC’s Programme Director, Kehinde Osifisan, the group said, “In spite of the subsisting judgments and orders of the courts, Bello has continued to spurn the courts and refused to surrender himself for arraignment; thereby making a mockery of the courts as he had done to the EFCC.
“This is not about the EFCC as an institution. It is about us as a people. Indeed, the joke is on us as a people and a nation. It is against this background that we wish to reiterate our call on the Presidency to wade in and use all the instruments of state to compel Bello to honour the court summons. This is already becoming too much and totally unacceptable in a sane clime where there is the rule of law.

“Bello and his successor, Governor Usman Ododo, who is aiding and abetting him from long arms of the law should be told once and for all that Nigeria is not a Banana Republic, but a country governed by law and order; and all citizens must obey the law, no matter their status and political leaning,” the statement added.