FACT CHECK: Has Yahaya Bello been arrested in Chad?

CLAIM: Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has been arrested in Chad Republic.

VERDICT: False!

FULL TEXT

Former Governor Yahaya Bello has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for evading arrests and failing to appear in court. BELLO is being prosecuted for alleged money laundering for multiple count charges including an N18-billion-money laundering charge.

The anti-graft agency, on 17 April, obtained a court warrant from the Federal High Court in Abuja for the arrest of Bello but efforts to arrest him has been futile as he’s being aided by his successor, Usman Ododo to evade arrest. This informed EFCC’s decision to declare him wanted while the Nigerian Immigration Service also alerted its officials airport authorities against granting him travel access.

READ ALSO:FACT CHECK: Are these corpses of traders killed by bandits in Niger State?

Meanwhile, a facebook page, in a post published on Sunday, claimed that the embattled former governor had been arrested in Chad, and would be released to Nigeria by the Chadian government.

VERIFICATION

Ripples Nigeria conducted keyword searches and found no report in any credible media platform to substantiate the claim. Also, Ripples Nigeria published the latest report on the matter on Tuesday. In the report, Yahaya Bello, through his lead counsel, argued that the EFCC is an illegal body, established without consent of the 36 state houses of assembly.

CONCLUSION

Yahaya Bello has not been arrested, not in Chad and not in Nigeria.

By: Olúwatóbi Ọdé̩yínká:

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