Metro

BREAKING: Drama As Police, Others Prevent EFCC From Arresting Yahaya Bello

Published

2 years ago

April 17, 2024

Officers of the Nigeria Police Force and some armed men dressed in black with the inscription “Special Forces”, are preventing operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from arresting embattled former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello at his Abuja residence.

EFCC operatives had stormed Bello’s home on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, at about 9:30 am on Wednesday.

However, our correspondent keenly observed how EFCC operatives were prevented by some policemen and other armed men guarding the ex-governor, from entering the house.

Earlier, the Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, visited the embattled former governor amidst a heavy security crackdown on the latter’s Abuja home.

Ododo arrived at Bello’s residence at about 2:30 pm Wednesday, alongside several security operatives and youth supporters protesting against the siege to the former governor’s home.

The PUNCH correspondent who visited the residence on Wednesday afternoon observed the heavy presence of armed operatives of EFCC, policemen, operatives of the Department of State Security, Counter Terrorism Unit, and Yahaya Bello’s private security team.

Photographs seen by our correspondent on Wednesday show some armed EFCC personnel laying siege to the ex-governor’s home on Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

As of press time, The PUNCH correspondent could not independently confirm the reason behind the siege on Bello’s home as the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, did not respond to inquiries concerning the development.

However, the EFCC had earlier dragged Yahaya Bello, his nephew Ali, one Dauda Sulaiman, and Abdulsalam Hudu before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in an amended charge in March 2024 over an alleged N84bn money laundering.

Reacting to the development, the ex-governor’s media office, in a statement, condemned the operatives’ actions while urging President Bola Tinubu to caution the EFCC.

According to the statement, the presence of the operatives in Bello’s residence negated the order of injunction granted on February 9, 2024, by the High Court of Justice, Lokoja Division, in Suit No. HCL/68M/2024 between Yahaya Bello v. EFCC, restraining the commission either by itself or its agents from harassing, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting him, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive fundamental rights enforcement action.

The statement read, “The EFCC was duly served with that order on February 12, 2024, and on February 26, 2024, the EFCC filed an appeal (Appeal No.: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello) against the said order to the Court of Appeal Abuja Division. The appeal was accompanied by a Motion for a Stay of Execution of the order of the High Court, which the Court of Appeal adjourned for hearing till April 22, 2024.

“Furthermore, judgment in the substantive case between Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the EFCC will be delivered at 12 noon today in Lokoja.

“Contrary to all of the above, the EFCC has now laid siege to the home of H.E Yahaya Bello, seeking to arrest him in contravention of the extant orders!

“It is a surprise that an agency led by a lawyer could flagrantly disobey a subsisting court order by taking actions contrary to the reliefs granted.

“We are aware of the total commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s current administration to the rule of law and can say categorically that the EFCC leadership might have offered the agency on a platter of gold to desperate politicians to convert it to their score-settling tool without minding the effect on its integrity and the image of Nigeria as regards the rule of law.”

The ex-governor’s media office further alleged that the anti-graft agency was plotting to embarrass and harass him through spurious allegations, especially the latest one dating back to September 2015, long before he assumed office.

The anti-graft agency, in the 17-count amended charge, accused Yahaya Bello of money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N84,062,406,089.88.

The EFCC had claimed in the amended charge that the former governor was at large.

Before the charge, the EFCC had arraigned Bello’s nephew, Ali Bello, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for alleged money laundering involving N10bnn belonging to the Kogi State Government.

However, the state government faulted the charge, describing it as “ridiculous” and “laughable,” adding that it was impossible, as the former governor was not yet able to access or misappropriate state funds at the said time.

The state government, in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, had on February 7, 2024, accused the EFCC of being “infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of ‘Mr. President to defeat corruption in Nigeria.”

Metro

BREAKING: BIZARRE! Millions Lost As Delta Man Sets Own Shop Ablaze

Published

4 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

A yet-to-be-identified man suspected to have taken hard drugs on Tuesday night set his own furniture shop ablaze in the Saniko community, Agbarah-Otor, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The man, believed to be in his 40s, our source said set the furniture shop containing modern furniture worth millions of naira ablaze, and chased anyone who attempted to intervene with matchett until he was overpowered by the community youths.

Our source who does not want his name in print narrated via the phone: “It actually happened this night. Nobody knows what fell on him to have set his own shop ablaze, but the belief his that he must have taken some hard drugs.

“The man should be in his 40s. He set the shop ablaze, and when people attention was drawn to it, they rushed there but he chased them with cutlass. He was chasing people with cutlass until the youth mobilised and overpowered him, and as I speak with you, he has been tied down, naked.

“I don’t know his name, and nobody has identified with him as a relation, but the point is, millions have been lost. All the modern furniture in the shops have turned to ashes. The shop is completely burnt down.”

Contacted on the phone, Delta State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe said the Command was not aware of the incident.

He said: “Inasmuch he set his own shop ablaze, and nobody died, nobody will come to the Police to report it. And since nobody will come to report such an incident to the Police, it’s assumed the Police are not aware.”

Metro

Seven Journalists On Their Way To Colleague’s Marriage, FG Reacts

Published

11 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian government, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has expressed deep shock and sorrow over the tragic death of seven journalists who were confirmed killed in a lone road crash in the Gombe South area of Gombe State on Monday.

The incident occurred on Monday evening as the journalists were returning from a wedding ceremony in the Gombe South Senatorial District. They were said to have traveled in solidarity with a colleague from the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, who was getting married.

According to preliminary information from the Gombe State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Samson Kaura, the crash was fatal.

The Minister described the tragedy as a heartbreaking loss to the media community and the nation, noting that the journalists were committed voices who informed the public with courage, integrity, and professionalism.

“This is a harrowing moment. Nigeria has lost dedicated voices who informed, educated, and stood for truth. Their passing is a heavy blow to us all,” he said.

The Minister extended his condolences to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Gombe State Council, and especially to the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased. He prayed that God would grant them the strength to bear the painful loss.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones. May Almighty God grant them comfort and grant the souls of the departed eternal rest,” he added.

“We stand in solidarity with the NUJ and the entire media community at this difficult time. We must continue to work together to improve safety measures for those who serve the nation daily,” he said.

He assured that the Federal Government stands with the bereaved families and the media community during this moment of grief. May the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.

Metro

VIDEO: Chaos As Last-minute Shoppers Overwhelm Lagos Balogun Market

Published

11 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Large crowds on Tuesday overwhelmed Balogun Market on Lagos Island as residents trooped out in their numbers for last-minute year-end shopping, crippling movement around the commercial hub.

A viral video making the rounds online showed extreme congestion within and around the market, with traders and shoppers barely able to move as they jostled for limited space in one of Lagos’ busiest trading centres.

The footage captured scenes of tightly packed walkways and stalled human traffic, as buyers scrambled to complete end-of-year purchases ranging from clothes and shoes to household items.

The gridlock is largely being blamed on Nigerians’ long-standing culture of last-minute shopping, often described as “panic buying,” where many delay festive purchases until the final days of the year.

Balogun Market, known for its wholesale and retail activities, traditionally experiences a spike in patronage toward the end of the year.

As of the time of reporting, no incidents had been confirmed, though the situation highlights the recurring challenge of overcrowding during peak festive periods in Lagos.

Watch the video below:

𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 𝐀𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭-𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭
Credit: X | dammiedammie
—
Follow us for more breaking news and videos pic.twitter.com/p0uRr8NLcS
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) December 30, 2025