Nigerian Police Detain Ex-Governor Yahaya Bello’s Security Officials, Sparks Reactions

The Nigeria Police Force has taken into custody the aide-de-camp and several security personnel of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

This action follows allegations that they assisted in his escape from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives who attempted to detain him at his residence in Abuja.

The detention of these officers, including a female police officer who worked closely with Bello, was orchestrated under the directives of Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun. The arrests took place at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja, as part of intensified efforts to enforce compliance following a series of orders from the Nigerian police headquarters.

This development coincides with the EFCC’s escalated activities surrounding Bello, who is under investigation for a suspected N84 billion fraud. The situation escalated when the EFCC, armed with a court-issued arrest warrant, declared Bello wanted and fortified his Abuja home. In a dramatic turn of events, the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, intervened, facilitating Bello’s departure from the scene in a gubernatorial convoy, thereby preventing his arrest at that moment.

The pursuit of Bello took a sophisticated turn as EFCC operatives managed to track him to an Abuja hideout using the phone of one of his aides, revealing the depth of the agency’s commitment to apprehend him after he cleverly left his personal phone behind in Kogi.

Further complicating Bello’s situation, the Nigeria Immigration Service has been alerted to prevent him from fleeing the country, following an EFCC request to place him on a national watch list. This is part of a broader strategy to curb his movements and ensure he faces the legal proceedings against him.