The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to surrender himself for arraignment. This decision comes after a prolonged legal battle between Bello and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had issued a warrant for his arrest after he repeatedly failed to comply with court orders to appear for arraignment.
Bello, through his legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Abdulwahab Mohammed, argued that since the alleged offense occurred while he was the governor, the case should be heard in Kogi State. He maintained that the Lokoja Division of the High Court has the territorial jurisdiction to handle the charges brought against him by the EFCC.
However, in its ruling on Tuesday, the Court of Appeal restrained Bello from taking any further legal steps regarding the charges unless he first submits himself for arraignment.
The legal dispute has garnered significant attention, as the EFCC’s warrant for Bello’s arrest highlights the seriousness of the charges. More details on the case and the court’s decision are expected to emerge in the coming days.
