Renowned human rights activist, Barrister Femi Falana SAN, has advised Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, withdraw police officers attached to Bello’s residence.
“Because of the foregoing, the police officers who prevented the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from arresting the suspect have committed a grave criminal offence. The Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun should withdraw the said police officers from the private residence of Mr. Bello without any delay and have them charged for obstruction of justice,” he said.
Operatives of the EFCC on Wednesday barricaded the Abuja home of Bello.
The house of the former governor, who has been having a running battle with the EFCC before finishing his tenure as governor in January, is located on Benghazi Street in Wuse Zone 4, Federal Capital Territory.
The agency’s longtime interest in him led to the filing of N10 billion corruption charges against his nephew, Ali Bello, and a co-defendant for money laundering at the Federal High Court in Abuja.in 2022.
Days after he finished his tenure, the EFCC on 5 February, amended the charges, raising the number of counts from 10 to 17 against the younger Bello and his co-defendant, Dauda Suleiman, in a trial that dates back to 2022.
The prosecution named Bello in one of the newly-introduced counts as an accomplice. But the agency has yet to charge him as a defendant.