Former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N80.2 billion financial crime, continues to elude arrest due to his successor’s immunity, according to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy.
Onanuga explained the challenges facing security agencies in apprehending Bello, who served as Kogi State Governor from May 2015 to May 2023, during an interview on Channels Television’s *Inside Sources* program with Laolu Akande on Sunday. The EFCC has made several attempts to detain Bello, yet each effort has been thwarted by current Kogi Governor Usman Ododo, who has reportedly sheltered the embattled ex-governor.
“The EFCC is an agency of the Federal Government, and it wants to arrest Yahaya Bello. Yahaya Bello is hiding under the agbada (flowing robe) of the governor of Kogi State, his successor, who happens to enjoy immunity,” Onanuga stated, likening the situation to a diplomat’s immunity. He emphasized that Ododo’s legal immunity, granted to sitting governors, bars security agencies from entering his residence to seize Bello without breaching protocol.
Onanuga drew parallels to international cases, referencing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in the UK. “Ododo enjoys immunity. Yahaya Bello is believed to be hiding there. They cannot storm the place and say they want to arrest him. That’s the problem of the EFCC, and the police cannot help the EFCC,” Onanuga explained.
The case adds a layer of complexity to Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts as security agencies navigate legal constraints in pursuing high-profile figures linked to alleged financial misconduct. For now, the standoff continues, with Bello reportedly shielded from arrest due to the immunity protecting his successor.