EFCC to Nigerians: Obstruct our operations, risk 5 years in jail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has read a riot act to members of the public, warning that it is a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.

EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, in a statement made available to The Star on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, stated that Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.

Alleged N80.2bn fraud: EFCC sets to arraign Yahaya Bello April 18

The commission said that culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.

Oyewale said: “This warning becomes necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.

“On several occasions, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order. Regrettably, such disposition is being construed as a sign of weakness.”

The Commission, therefore, warns that it will henceforth not tolerate any attempt by any person or organisation to obstruct its operation as such will be met with appropriate punitive actions.

The commission’s attempt to execute the Warrant of Arrest against former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, April 17, met stiff resistance.

The security cordon around the former governor’s residence in Abuja was breached by the Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who ensured that Bello was spirited away in his official vehicle.

The EFCC exercised restraint in the face of the provocation, waiting for his arraignment on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

The commission declared that Bello is not above the law and would be brought to justice as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the EFCC has vowed to arraign Bello on Thursday, April 18, 2024 before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The anti-graft agency stated that Yahaya Bello will be arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three other suspects, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu on 19-count charges bordering on money laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,088.88.

Bello’s arraignment is coming on the heels of a warrant of arrest and enrolment order granted the EFCC by the court on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Yahaya Adoza Bello, Ali Bello, Dauda Suliman, and Abdulsalam Hudu (Still at large), sometime, in February, 2016, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80,246,470,088.88, 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(a) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended”.

Count 17 of the charges read: “That you Yahaya Bello between 26^th July 2021 to 6^th April 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable  Court aided E-Traders International Limited to conceal the aggregate sum of  N3,081,804,654.00 in account number 1451458080 domiciled in Access Bank Plc, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a), 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15( 3) of the same Act.”

Count 18  of the charges reads: “That you Yahaya Adoza Bello sometime in November 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction  of this Honourable Court indirectly procured E-Traders international Limited to transfer the aggregate sum of $570,330 to account number 4266644272 domiciled in TD Bank, United States of America which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful activity to wit, criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15( 3) of the same Act”.

The Star