Yahaya Bello: List of Ex-Governors Who Put Up Dramas Over EFCC`s Arrest
Legit.ng journalist Bada Yusuf is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over seven years of experience in journalism and writing.
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The drama that followed the move of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, April 17, has refused to leave the media space in Nigeria.
The EFCC operatives were obstructed by some police officers and supporters of the former governor as the anti-graft agency laid siege at the residence of Yahaya Bello at Zone 4 in Abuja in a bid to arrest him.
Source: Twitter
For over 10 hours, the former governor, popularly referred to as the “White Lion,” could not leave his house until the arrival of his successor, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who allegedly aided Bello's escape.
As the EFCC declared on Thursday, April 18, Bello is now a wanted person. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Department of State Service (DSS) have placed the former governor on their watchlist.
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Meanwhile, Bello was not the first former governor to be arrested dramatically by the EFCC. Other former governors who have attempted to evade EFCC's arrest are listed below:
“EFCC, I Am Here”, Fayose
While enjoying immunity as the governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose knew that the EFCC would pursue him at the end of his tenure.
On October 16, 2018, a day before the end of his tenure, Fayose handed over the affairs of the state to the head of the civil service and travelled to Abuja to hand himself over to the anti-graft agency.
Source: Twitter
Fayose was very dramatic as he put on a T-shirt with the inscription “EFCC, I'm here.” He then shared photos of himself arriving at the EFCC headquarters on his X, formerly Twitter.
The former governor also went to the EFCC's office with a backpack containing bedclothes and a pillowcase, saying he was ready to be detained by the EFCC as long as they wanted to.
Influential politicians, including Nyesom Wike, the then governor of Rivers state, and Femi Fani-Kayode, The former minister of aviation, accompanied Fayose to the EFCC office.
A few days later, Fayose was arraigned by the EFCC on an 11-count charge, bordering on money laundering and stealing to the tune of N6.9 billion. The case is still in court today.
See the video of the former governor here:
"Dem wan come shoot me" - Okorocha
Rochas Okorocha, the former governor of Imo State, is another high-profile Nigerian EFCC operative who was arrested in a dramatic fashion. On May 24, 2022, the anti-graft agency's operative stormed the former governor's residence in the Maitama area of Abuja in a bid to arrest him.
Source: Twitter
After waiting for hours, the EFCC began to break down the door of the house. As the operatives hit the door, the former governor went live on Facebook from his living room to inform his followers about what was going on.
Okorocha was eventually arrested on the same day after the EFCC operatives broke in through the ceiling of his living room. The operatives successfully dispersed his supporters, who had gathered around the house to stop them from gaining entry into the house.
The former governor was later arraigned by the EFCC before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 17-count charge of stealing N2.9 billion. The case is still in court today.
See the video of the house here:
Drama at Lagos airport as EFCC arrests Obiano
The arrest of the former governor of Anambra state, Willie Obiano, was also dramatic, as it happened at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on March 16, 2022.
On the same day, the former governor attended the swearing-in ceremony of his successor, Charles Soludo. Still, the EFCC alleged that the former governor was running to the United States to evade arrest.
Source: Facebook
The anti-graft agency had written to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in November 2021 to add Obiano to its watchlist and inform them of any time he was to leave the country.
Obianoa was arrested at about 8:30 pm by the operatives of the EFCC when he was about to enter a flight to leave Nigeria for Houston in the US.
The former governor spent some days in the custody of the EFCC before he was released. In January 2024, the former governor was arrested for stealing over N4 billion naira. The case is still before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
See video of the former governor Obiano in EFCC custody:
EFCC lays siege at ex-governor Bello's house
Legit.ng earlier reported that the EFCC laid a siege at the Abuja home of the former Kogi governor.
Bello's residence on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, in Abuja, was captured in a video bombarded with the officers of the anti-graft agency.
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Source: Legit.ng
