EFCC decries harassment over Yahaya Bello’s trial, urges calm

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised the alarm over continuous harassment from Nigerians regarding the delayed prosecution of corruption cases, specifically that of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.

The EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a joint press briefing organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The event was attended by public relations officers from the military, police, Department of State Services, and other security agencies.

Oyewale, while responding to concerns over the slow pace of certain trials, appealed to the public to stay calm, explaining that the commission cannot act as both the accuser and the judge in its own matters.

The spokesman explained that the timeline for resolving any case rests within the purview of the judiciary.

“The issue of Yahaya Bello is always there. They continually harass us about Yahaya Bello. We’ve charged the matter to court, the matter is in two different courts. And we are going to court, we wait for the judiciary to decide the matter. We cannot be the accuser and the judge in our own matter. Our mandate allows us to investigate, to prosecute, to prevent, but our mandate does not allow us to adjudicate,” Oyewale said.

The EFCC restates its commitments to diligent prosecution, stressing  that the agency has recorded a 98 per cent success rate in court. Oyewale appealed to Nigerians to stay calm, explaining that complex cases extend court timelines due to multiple witnesses and intricate legal processes.