The dramatic twists and turns between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Yahaya Bello since the attempt to have him arrested on Wednesday, April 17 seems unending.
Recall that CEOAFRICA reported officials of the EFCC had laid a siege to Bello’s Abuja residence, where they wanted to arrest him, but Ododo arrived at the scene and hours after he drove out, there were reports that Bello had sneaked out with him. The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukayode had also vowed to see to the end of the case.
However, Bello is not the only politician to have evaded/escaped arrest by the EFCC. CEOAFRICA gathers a list of politicians with similar events in time past.
1. Gbenga Daniel and Ikedi Ohakim: Former Governors Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State and Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State in 2011, reportedly fled the country days before their May 29 official handover date, and other governors who at that time were within the EFCC’s radar.
2. Attahiru Bafarawa: in 2015, Former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, escaped arrest after about three-hour siege on his Usuma Street, Abuja residence by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The operatives of the anti-graft commission, supported by armed mobile policemen, had lined up along the street and surrounded his house.
3. Siminialayi Fubara: Before his election as Governor in 2022, Siminialayi Fubara, on a Tuesday night escaped an attempt by officials of the EFCC to arrest him. Drama took place at the Port Harcourt International Airport as the plane ferrying Fubara and other PDP chieftains who had accompanied him to Abuja to receive his Certificate of Return touched down at the airport. It was learnt that as the operatives move to effect the arrest, some youths believed to be his supporters allegedly resisted the officials and attacked them. The EFCC had declared Fubara, the immediate past Accountant General of Rivers state, and three other top state government officials wanted over alleged N117 billion fraud.
4. Peter Nwaoboshi: In February last year, the EFCC announced the interception of the Senator representing Delta North in the National Assembly, Peter Nwaoboshi, who has been on the run for months since the Court of Appeal Lagos Division convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment for money laundering. The lawmaker was intercepted by EFCC operatives at a hospital in Lagos on Monday, and finally remanded in Ikoyi Custodial Centre on Wednesday to commence his prison term.
Former governors arrested by EFCC since its establishment includes: Willie Obiano of Anambra; James Ibori of Delta; Rochas Okorocha of Imo; Bukola Saraki of Kwara; Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia state; Peter Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state; Gabriel Suswam of Benue state; Audu Abubakar for Kogi State; Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa state; Aliyu Akwe Doma of Nasarawa state; Joshua Dariye of Plateau state; Jonah Jang of Plateau state; James Bala Ngilari of Adamawa state; Murtala Nyako of Adamawa state; Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno state; Danjuma Goje of Gombe state; Jolly Nyame of Taraba state; Sule Lamido of Jigawa state; Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto state; Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state; Theodore Orji of Abia state; Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu state; Sullivan Chime of Enugu state; Ikedi Ohakim of Imo state’ Godswill Akpabi of Akwa Ibom state; Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa state; Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa state; Lucky Igbinedion of Edo state; Olugbenga Daniel of Ogun state; Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo state; and Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo state
More so, no fewer than 13 former governors who allegedly fleeced their respective states were dragged, and some even charged, to court by the anti-graft agency since the Ola Olukoyede-led administration of the anti-graft agency.
