EFCC’s Failure to Arrest Yahaya Bello: An Enduring ‘We Have Not Been Told to Make Profit or Arrest’ Culture

Wale Adeleke

MaTaZ ArIsInG
Dallas, Texas

The EFCC’s refusal to arrest fugitive Yahaya Bello draws parallels to the infamous “We Have Not Been Told to Start Making Profits” operational model of, now defunct, Nigeria Airways. More on that, later.

In April, the EFCC declared Bello a fugitive for failing to appear in court to face allegations of an eight billion Naira corruption case.

Simultaneously, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, cautioned Bello that evading the law would not resolve the issues. He urged Bello to act responsibly by honoring the EFCC’s invitation while also condemning the misuse of authority to shield persons of interest. The AGF emphasized the importance of not obstructing security agencies in their statutory mandate.
www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2024/04/19/efcc-declares-yahaya-bello-wanted-as-agf-warns-fugitive-ex-governor

Fast forward five months later, reports emerged that Bello, still a fugitive, visited the EFCC Office alongside the incumbent Kogi state governor. According to social media reports, the EFCC failed to arrest the wanted fugitive because he was accompanied by a sitting governor, a direct violation of their established protocols.
https://businessday.ng/news/article/drama-continues-as-efcc-rejects-yahaya-bellos-appearance-says-ex-governor-still-wanted/

In a striking coincidence, less than 24 hours after this incident, Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia published an insightful article titled “A Bandit in the Ministry: The Case Against Bello Matawalle.” Jibia detailed the terror inflicted by a man named Aleru in Zamfara, resulting in the death of over 60 innocent children, women, and the elderly.

Despite being declared wanted by the Nigerian Police in 2022, Aleru received a traditional title in Zamfara state less than two years later, with the apparent knowledge and approval of Governor Bello Matawalle’s administration. Surprisingly, senior police officers attended the ceremony but failed to apprehend the person they had declared wanted.
A Bandit in the Ministry: The Case Against Bello Matawalle – By Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia
//opr.news/5918db5f240919en_ng?link=1&client=news

Ladies and gentlemen, sadly, it is official: Nigeria has become a country where fugitives walk around in plain sight without fear of arrest.

The refusal or, more appropriately, failure of the EFCC and NPF to arrest wanted fugitives in plain sight brings to mind a newspaper account from the late 1970s, during the era of Nigeria Airways.

Back then, every end-of-year holiday season, there were constant reports about how the Nigeria Airways (NA) departure lounge at Heathrow was overcrowded, with many passengers stranded and sleeping on the floor while waiting to catch a flight.

A reporter, who was fortunate enough to secure a seat on NA and make it to Lagos in time for the holiday, narrated his experience upon arrival at Murtala Muhammed Airport. To his surprise, he discovered that there were at least three NA aircraft parked not far from the tarmac.

Eager to help alleviate the situation for stranded passengers in Heathrow, the reporter approached the NA desk and asked to speak with a top official. He shared his account of the chaos he had witnessed at the NA lounge in Heathrow and suggested that they send one of the parked aircraft to pick up the stranded passengers.

The official listened attentively and calmly explained that they were well aware of the situation in Heathrow but revealed that the aircraft at Murtala Muhammed Airport were reserved for accommodating the holiday requests of top government functionaries.

Unsatisfied with the response, the reporter proposed running a promotion or discount to encourage passengers to travel to London while simultaneously seizing the opportunity to fly the stranded passengers home. This move, he added, would not only redeem the image of NA but also generate more revenue, and potentially, a profit.

To his utter dismay, the NA official looked the reporter straight in the eye and replied, “Profit? Oh no, we have not been told to start making profits.”

Sounds crazy. Well, that was in the late 70s. Fast forward almost 50 years after. We are still at the “We have not been told to start arresting fugitives on sight” phase.

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