YAHAYA BELLO, THE ARTFUL DODGER

The former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, should step forward to clear his name and be held accountable for his actions, writes Bolaji Adebiyi

Fondly called the White Lion, Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of Kogi State, has failed to live up to the character of the dreadful animal he took as appellation. Accused of sundry misdemeanours, including money laundering and fraud, the erstwhile helmsman at the Confluence State has been on the run from the law, effectively becoming a fugitive. Ordinarily, a lion fears no foe. But this lion has been out of circulation for five months since April.

However, he showed up in Abuja last week. His appearance was as dramatic as his disappearance five months ago. Escorted by an entourage of high-profile aides, including Ahmed Ododo, his successor, and heavily armed security operatives, Bello practically entered another lion’s den and emerged unscathed. The absurdity of a criminal suspect declared wanted by a lawful state agency parading the streets of the nation’s capital with official security agents would soon become a subject of public discourse.

For the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which had been on his trial, the occurrence had to be managed to avert an escalation of an armed fight which might divert attention from the substantive issue of bringing the former governor to book. But for Bello, it was an opportunity to embarrass the commission he had accused of playing politics and persecuting him. Between the two lie serious issues of wanton impunity and the capacity of the state to tackle it.

The EFCC had been investigating Bello’s case for a couple of years. Covered by constitutional immunity, the commission had to take its time to make its move. The opportunity came when he left office in January this year. Stripped of immunity from arrest and prosecution, the anti-graft agency requested the former governor to report for interrogation. The allegations were hefty, amounting to laundering over N80 billion of the state’s funds kept in his care as governor, a grave and serious accusation.

Rather than report to clear his name, Bello accused the EFCC of playing politics and persecution and went underground. Although the theatrics of Olanipekun Olukoyede, the commission’s chairman, almost fed into Bello’s narrative, many observers of the unfolding drama were left in no doubt that the former governor’s objective was to avoid prosecution for his alleged crimes. However, it remains baffling to many social and public policy analysts that a crime suspect of Bello’s visibility has remained beyond the reach of the law for roughly five months. How? Why?

The commission’s excuse is that Bello has been hiding under the cover of Ododo’s immunity. True. When the EFCC’s operatives attempted to arrest the former governor at the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja in April, they were resisted by the official security personnel attached to the governor. The commission explained then that it pulled back because it did not want an escalation of violence between it and the governor’s operatives. The same excuse was given for last week’s incident. This is absurd.

Several times, it has been argued that a governor’s constitutional immunity cannot be extended to cover any other person. Therefore, it is a misconception that a criminal suspect in the company of an immune governor cannot be separated and arrested by designated security operatives. The challenge, however, is that the EFCC operatives feel restrained by the need to avoid a clash between them and their counterparts from the Police and State Security Services detailed to protect the governor. Again, this is misconceived.

The primary duty of every security personnel is to prevent crime and arrest it. This is the basis of the rule of engagement establishing inter-agency cooperation. This is why any citizen placed on the watch list by any security agency is bound to be intercepted and taken into custody by any lawful operative from the other agencies. It becomes difficult in the circumstances to appreciate the difficulty in arresting Bello. This matter ought to have been resolved among the Police, the SSS and the EFCC high command if there is a genuine intention to take the former governor into custody. An order from the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the SSS that Bello be arrested and handed over to the Chairman of the EFCC will settle the matter.

Meanwhile, it must be pointed out to Ododo that whilst he has immunity under the law, his conduct so far amounts to obstruction of justice, which could amount to an impeachable offence. It is a breach of his oath of office, which binds him to subjugate his personal to state interest. While it is a notorious fact that he got into office through the benevolence of Bello, the best he can do for his benefactor is to help arrange his legal defence. Beyond that would be a breach of the law, which can amount to high treason.

This is all the more pertinent as Bello has repeatedly said that he was innocent of the allegations and that his political enemies were persecuting him. Yet, this is why he ought to have been eager to clear his name; after all, a clear conscience, it is said, fears no accusation. The allegations are weighty. The 19-count charge filed in April said he and three others, Alli Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdullahi Hudu, conspired to cream off N80.2 billion from the state treasury. Another 16-count charge was filed on Wednesday. It accused him and two others, Umar Shuaibu Oriche and Abdullahi Hudu, of stealing N110 billion to buy properties in Abuja and Dubai. They were also charged with laundering millions of United States Dollars in foreign accounts.

For someone who has built a good reputation for years, becoming a two-term governor, his preoccupation should be clearing his name, not playing hide-and-seek with the law. As the adage goes, a good name is worth more than gold and silver. Bello should come out of hiding to defend his good name and reputation vigorously. This way, he would put his traducers to eternal shame.

Adebiyi is the media assistant to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu