Following the refusal of the former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, to submit self to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has withdrawn officers attached to the ex-governor.
The order for their withdrawal was contained in message sent by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, to the officers.
The message partly reads, “IG has ordered the withdrawal of all policemen attached to His Excellency and former Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. Acknowledge compliance and treat with utmost importance. Please, above, for your information and strict compliance.”
Similarly, News About Nigeria had earlier reported that the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) had also placed the immediate past governor of Kogi state on its watchlist after EFCC declared him wanted.
The EFCC declared Bello wanted over his alleged connection to a case of money laundering to the tune of N80.2bn.
When the EFCC declared Bello wanted, the anti-graft agency tasked members of the public with useful information about his whereabouts to contact any of the commission’s offices across the country.
The anti-graft agency was earlier granted a warrant of arrest by the Federal High Court in Abuja to apprehend Bello.
But officers of the Nigeria Police Force attached to Bello and the security team of the incumbent governor of Kogi state, Usman Ododo stopped the EFCC from arresting Bello at his Abuja residence on Wednesday.
It was also gathered that Ododo and his security team escorted Bello out of his Abuja residence in the governor’s vehicle to an unknown location.