The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has asked Yahaya Bello, a former governor of Kogi State, to turn himself in to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He said in a statement on Thursday that the EFCC has statutory powers “to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigation into any matter regardless of status.”
Mr Bello, who faces N80 billion money laundering charges, refused to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday where he was expected to take his plea.
Earlier on Wednesday, EFCC operatives laid siege to Mr Bello’s residence in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, for several hours in a bid to arrest him.
The operatives were unable to carry out the court-ordered arrest as a result of the stiff resistance they faced from the police personnel guarding the house.
The incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, later showed at the house during the police-EFCC stand-off.
He was believed to have later departed the residence in his official vehicle with with Mr Bello.
Mr Bello failed to appear in court for his scheduled arraignment in court on Thursday, but his lawyers were present.
AGF reacts
But in a statement later on Thursday, the AGF, Mr Fagbemi, condemned the former governor’s conduct of refusing to submit himself for trial.
The minister described the standoff between the EFCC and police personnel as a matter of “grave concern.”
He said the EFCC has statutory powers “to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigation into any matter regardless of status.”
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting.
