The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned that it wouldn’t longer tolerate public officials from obstructing its operatives from performing their legitimatel duties.
The agency revealed this hours after Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo broke the siege by its operatives on his predecessor’s Abuja residence and smuggled Yahaya Bello out of the house in his official vehicle after shootouts by security agents.
Operatives of the anti-graft agency on Wednesday cordoned off the residence of the former governor in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja to execute an arrest warrant.
Bello’s arraignment is coming on the heels of a warrant of arrest and enrolment order granted the EFCC by the court on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
Mr Bello would be arraigned on today (Thursday) over N80 billion money laundering case at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja
In a statement posted on its official website on Wednesday, the EFCC “wishes to warn members of the public that it is a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
“Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
“This warning becomes necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
“On several occasions, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order. Regrettably, such disposition is being construed as a sign of weakness.
“The commission therefore, warned that it will henceforth not tolerate any attempt by any person or organisation to obstruct its operation as such will be met with appropriate punitive actions.”
