Who Holds The Gavel of Justice?: A Case of Yahaya Beloo vs EFCC

Martin Luther King Jnr once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere.” The message seems Latin when juxtaposed with recent developments in the Nigerian justice system.

The media has been awash with the seemingly unending fairy tale between Yahaya Bello, a former Kogi state governor, an APC stalwart, and the EFCC.

Interestingly, we have been humored by the hide-and-seek game between Yahaya Bello and the EFCC and the conflicting judgements passed by two courts on the case.

The ongoing case has further exposed the low-handedness of the Nigerian legal system. What is the essence of justice if it cannot be served?

A recap of the events ab initio will give us a glimpse into the current state and acts of the law.

On the 17th of April, Efcc set out to arrest and possibly prosecute Yahaya Bello for a money laundering charge and misappropriation of public funds perpetuated while he was in office.

They made a forceful attempt to arrest him at his Abuja residence. However, they met stiff opposition from his personal security detail. Interestingly, the current governor of Kogi State came to Bello’s residence and whisked him away while the EFCC watched.

As the hide-and-seek game continued, two courts in Kogi and Abuja gave conflicting orders on whether Bello should be arranged and prosecuted.

While the Kogi court issued a restraining order against the EFCC not to arrest Bello, the Abuja court issued a warrant of arrest to the EFCC.

However, while the EFCC believes that Bello is culpable, he denies all allegations.

The presidency and some political figures have weighed in on the issue in light of this ongoing drama. While some advised Bello to turn himself in, others warned the EFCC to act within the confines of the law and leave Bello alone as the Kogi court has ordered.

The recent events leave much to be desired and raise many questions.

“Why is the ruling party not saying anything on this matter, given that Bello is a member?”

“Did Bello step on the president’s toe?”

“Did he fall out with the ruling party?”

“Why do the EFCC and the Nigerian police specifically target Bello?”

“Is the law court the last hope of the common man?”

“Is this a payback game by a fellow politician to teach Bello a lesson?”

“Why is Bello running away from the EFCC instead of showing his face to clear his smeared name?”

However, in this case, it is expedient that the judiciary restore its dignity. They should stop dancing to the tune of the elites and the security agencies.

 Let it be known that Bello’s claim of innocence does not hold water since there is underlying evidence to support the claims of the EFCC.

Yahaya Bello should obey the EFCC and appear in court to clear his name. An Igbo adage says, “When a fowl pollutes the air, the ground starts to chase him.”

The position of the law should be absolute and not conflicting. A man who runs to the court for protection when he has not cleared his name is as good as guilty.

Bello and EFCC should give the judiciary a break. The fairy tale can commence some other time.

In the end, justice should be served, and the dignity of the judiciary must be restored.

As the legal maxim states, “No man can take advantage of his wrong.”

 The EFCC, while keeping Nigerians and the mainstream media entertained, has quickly moved from Bobrisky to Cubana and now Yahaya Bello.

 EFCC, who is next?