Hundreds of lawyers on Monday hit the premises of Supreme Court to condemn alleged illegal approached deployed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) it its botched bids to arrest former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello.
Earlier, The Daily Crucible reported that some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress(APC,) and activists had also slammed the EFCC for what they reckoned as the persecution of Bello by the agency allegedly playing the script of some “politicians.”
The APC chieftains called on sitting Governors, former governors and politically exposed persons to stand against the unjust persecution of Bello by the Commission.
The Chairman, Tinubu Media Support Group, TMSG, Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa, while briefing the press on behalf of others, described as utter travesty the former Governor’s unjust prosecution in the court of public opinion as against the court of law, saying it was a coordinated witch-hunt “against a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a former Governor of one of the states of this country.”
Similarly, the co-convener of the Abuja walk for Yahaya Bello, S.K Alewu, in a statement on Monday lamented the EFCC’s attempt to arrest the former governor despite being served a valid court order that restrained it from embarking upon such action.
Alewu said the step not only breached Bello’s fundamental rights, but also made the judiciary willing tools in the hands of enemies of the country’s rule of law.
The lawyers urged the Judicial Council of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu to rein – in the EFCC to stop further abuse and disobedience of court orders.
He said: “It has become pertinent again that we address well-meaning Nigerians on the current attacks on the Judiciary by the very institutions created by law to enforce and guarantee the sanctity of our judicial processes.
“As young lawyers, we envisage a judiciary where justice is not only done but also seen to be manifestly done. It is in our patriotic quest to always pursue ventures that guarantee an independent judiciary that dispenses justice without fear nor Favour that we formed this civil society of lawyers.
“We are therefore perturbed that desperate politicians and corrupt elements in our polity are working very assiduously to bring the judiciary that sacrificed its all to guard its jurisdiction jealously under the military regime to public odium and opprobrium.
“It is more worrisome that even the very institutions that are created by law to enforce our laws have become willing tools in the hands of enemies of our rule of law and the judiciary to harangue our judges and bring the justice system to public ridicule.
“The current case between the EFCC and Gov. Yahaya is the most heinous of such instances. It is sickening that the commission will move to lay siege and even attempt to arrest the former governor of Kogi state despite being served a valid court order that restrains them from doing so and without vacating the said order
“The events of the past few days is capable of eroding the many gains and national acclaim the commission recorded and enjoys from majority of Nigerians who sees the establishment of the commission as the greatest intervention to the endemic corruption that has rocked our public service and government institutions since the return of Nigeria to democracy in 1999.
“The only succour is that the current president of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a leader who gave his all to sustain our democracy. The President, at a point, became a victim of political with-hunt.
“We have submitted petitions to the Nigerian Judicial Council and Mr. President asking that they use their good offices to call the EFCC to order and stop any form abuse and disobedience of court orders.”
Meanwhile, a coalition of ten non-governmental organisations in Ogun State have asked Yahaya Bello, to honour the invitation by EFCC, saying he is not above the law.
In a statement issued in Abeokuta, and signed by Barr. Solomon Bankole on behalf of the NGOs, the coalition urged Yahaya Bello to take a cue from the President , Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who once submitted himself to trial by the Code of Conduct Bureau
“For the avoidance of doubt, no one is above the law, no matter his position. We advise Yahaya Bello to take a cue from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other political leaders who have been invited by law enforcement agencies in the past and were questioned about their tenures in office.
“Recall that in 2011, President Bola Tinubu was arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for allegedly operating some foreign accounts while he was the Governor of Lagos state between 1999 and 2007.
“He did not spurn Police invitation or mount a bulwark of defence to evade arrest. Rather, he surrendered and subjected himself to the Rule of Law.
“We advise Yahaya Bello to toe the path of decency and civility by surrendering himself to law enforcement agencies. After all, under our jurisprudence system, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
