The incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, has visited the embattled former governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, 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 Wednesday afternoon, observed the heavy presence of armed operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, policemen, operatives of the Department of State Security, Counter Terrorism Unit, and Yahaya Bello’s private security team.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Drama As Police, Others Prevent EFCC From Arresting Yahaya Bello
EFCC operatives had on Wednesday morning stormed Bello’s Abuja home located in Wuse Zone 4, Federal Capital Territory.
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, our 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.
READ ALSO: Alleged N84bn Fraud: EFCC Operatives Storm Yahaya Bello’s Abuja Home, Ex-gov Kicks
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.