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When the White Lion is haunted by its past, it is a bad omen. And when the White Lion is hunted by the Red Eagle, the omen is still bad.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I read a piece by a journalist\u2014Akin Owolabi\u2014where he observed that Yahaya Bello is fondly referred to as the White Lion of Kogi due to his ability to take bold decisions. Indeed, if recent reports are anything to go by, Bello took some \u201cbold decisions\u201d, and in quick succession.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Having finished his tenure as Kogi State Governor, Bello\u2019s garment of immunity dropped from his skin. By operation of law, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Red Eagle, began to hunt the White Lion so he could answer to the allegations leveled against him. N80.2 Billion money-laundering charge is as heavy as it sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n Reportedly, the EFCC laid siege at Bello\u2019s Abuja residence on 17 April 2024 for the purpose of arresting him. One of the \u201cbold decisions\u201d, as we are told,\u00a0 made by the White Lion was to resist arrest. The other decision was to allegedly reach out to his successor-in-office whose garment of immunity is still intact. The White Lion was technically wrapped under this protective garment and \u201cspirited away\u201d. In its report, EFCC stated:<\/span><\/p>\n The Commission\u2019s attempt to execute the Warrant of Arrest lawfully obtained against Bello met stiff resistance on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. The security cordon around the former governor\u2019s residence in Abuja was breached by the current Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, who\u00a0 ensured that the suspect was spirited away in his official vehicle. As a responsible law enforcement agency, the EFCC exercised restraint in the face of the provocation, waiting for his arraignment on Thursday, April 18, 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Alleged N80.2billion Money Laundering:\u00a0EFCC Arraigns Yahaya Bello April 18<\/p>\n The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will on Thursday, April 18, 2024 arraign a former governor of Kogi State,\u00a0Yahaya Adoza\u00a0 Bello before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.<\/p>\n He will be\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/xmWHczssYw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 EFCC Nigeria (@officialEFCC) April 17, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The office of the Executive Governor of a State is a highly respectable office. It is expected that a person who ascends such office must be a person of excellent character and worthy reputation. By definition, the person must be a person who is civil, law-abiding, and without criminal blemish. This accounts for one of the reasons the person is constitutionally required to swear an oath to abide by the Constitution and laws of the land. Upon being sworn into office, the person will be addressed as \u201cHis Excellency\u201d. Even after leaving office, an ex-governor often retains this title.<\/span><\/p>\n A person bearing the title of \u201cHis Excellency\u201d is not expected to have any excellence in criminal allegation (of N80.2 Billion money laundering) hanging over his neck. It is an embarrassing situation. Worse still, no Excellency is expected to be a fugitive from justice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Having successfully resisted the advances of the Red Eagle as alleged, the White Lion has reportedly disappeared into thin air. But one should expect that the Red Eagle\u2014the King of the Sky\u2014would have no difficulty locating what is lost in the air, although having being reportedly \u201cspirited away\u201d, the difficulty seems understandable. The eagle is no spirit. If it was, the Super Eagles of Nigeria would have easily \u201cspirited away\u201d the African Nations Cup from Cote d\u2019Ivoire, wouldn\u2019t it? Nevertheless, the EFCC has reportedly declared Bello WANTED. Other agencies of the Government have followed suit.<\/span><\/p>\n WANTED BY EFCC: YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO#TowardsABetterNigeria<\/a>#SayNoToCorruption<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/IqJSVgU06g<\/a><\/p>\nThe Siege<\/h3>\n
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The Bad Omen<\/h3>\n
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