Yahaya Bello Wahala: Abuja Court Send Former Governor Go Kuje

Abuja na serious place wey gist dey fly pass pigeon. If you siddon hear, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court Abuja tori carry everybody eyebrow go ceiling. Hmmmm, dem say former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, dey serious wahala over N110 billion fraud matter. Di judge wey handle di matter, Justice Maryanne Anenih, no even look di mata two times before she gree make dem carry Mr. Bello go Kuje Correctional Centre for Abuja. So as e be now, Mr. Bello go dey cool body for inside prison till next year.

Wetin dey scatter belle pass be di way EFCC take use commando style gbab oga Mr. Bello. Di oga don dey waka free since, e no gree answer court summons wey dem carry come him domot. But as dem finally catch am on November 26, EFCC no wan joke; dem arrange am for court on November 27. Di man and him two padi dem, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, deny di charges sharperly. But court no wan hear story, especially as EFCC lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, get receipt full ground wey back all di allegations.

Di judge no con gree bail Mr. Bello sharp-sharp because dem see say di application for bail na premature. Dem say di bail application don dey court since November 22, when dem never even carry Mr. Bello come court by dat time. Di judge con talk say, “Hmmmm, how pesin go dey ask for bail when dem never even catch am or bring am come court?” Di tin clear for her eye say di bail no pure, dats why she no waste time to cancel am.

But di mata sweet small for Mr. Bello two friends. Di court gree make dem go house, but e no be free o. Di judge talk say each of dem go drop N300 million plus two sureties wey get property worth di money inside Abuja.

Meanwhile, wetin go happen next? For Mr. Bello, di tori make pesin eye red. Di court don adjourn di main trial to January 29, 2025, and Christmas dey near. E mean say di oga fit chop Christmas rice and stew with new year own for Kuje unless him lawyers do fast like James Bond. Di small window wey go remain be say dem fit beg di vacation judge wey go dey on standby for December to hear di bail application. But di matter go need tight reason like emergency before di judge go even consider am.

As dat court mata dey stretch, another katakata dey wait Mr. Bello. EFCC knack di man another fresh N80 billion laundering charge. Which mean say na two different court wahala e dey face now. Dis one sef dey for Federal High Court, Abuja, wey di judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, don adjourn hearing go December 13. Why? Mr. Bello lawyer no show, before di judge con talk say e no go dey fair to continue without di defendant counsel.

EFCC try argue say dem fit proceed since Mr. Bello dey court, but di judge no gree. E talk say di 1999 Constitution dey protect fair hearing. EFCC dey ready to start fire, so dia lawyer sef vex talk say di law no even talk say Mr. Bello lawyer need to dey there before plea go start, but di judge stand gidigba. E talk say fairness na di koko of justice.

As if di N110 billion and N80 billion court matter no do, gist comot say EFCC fit drag am enter another wahala wey involve foreign property for Dubai. Di money wey dem talk here go make calculator reset. Dem say e use almost 6 million Dirhams buy one kind luxury hotel apartment near Burj Khalifa for Dubai.

Now, if you dey wonder wetin EFCC dey take catch all dis big big men, no forget say di money trail dey always lead back to property. For Mr. Bello case, di receipt clear, and EFCC track am.

Di tin be sey people wey dey handle our money dey miscalculate di system. Ordinary court summons, oga no wan answer since April. E dey dodge court anyhow until EFCC use eagle eye track am. When dem finally gbab am, di man still get di liver plead “not guilty.”

But di tori no end there. As dis kain high-profile cases be, taxpayers fit dey chop Guguru ati Epa dey watch. Wetin we dey hope na say di system go dey fair, wey no go allow anybody twist law. EFCC don already show say dem mean business, but everything dey for the hand of  judiciary.

Wetin we go dey expect as January reach? Well, di main trial go start, Mr. Bello lawyer go need to drink plenty coffee so e go dey agile for courtroom. For now, di former governor don turn Kuje pikin, and immates for prison go sabi him face well well. If him waka pass, dem fit greet am, “Your Excellency.” Wetin person no go see for Naija?

Na lesson be dis o, say if you dey handle public money, make you dey careful. EFCC no dey play with receipt, and court dey ready to drag anybody wey wan use taxpayer money take buy private jet or luxury house for abroad.

Make we dey pray say dis kind wrong accountability go stop. Di system go fit work if people wey dey for office no dey do woro woro.