The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday did not sit to hear the appeal lodged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the order of the Kogi High Court, which restrained the anti-graft agency from arresting former Governor Yahaya Bello.

In a ruling on April 17, the Kogi court restrained the EFCC from arresting, detaining and prosecuting Mr Bello.

On Wednesday, the judge, I.A. Jamil, gave the order in a two-hour judgment delivered in suit no HCL/68/M/2020 in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

The judgment coincided with the siege to the Abuja residence of Mr Bello by EFCC operatives in a bid to arrest him.

The EFCC is seeking to arraign the former governor on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to N80.2 billion.

The anti-graft agency determined to get Bello to face the law for his alleged crime, so it approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on the same day to get an arrest warrant.

The warrant was issued following an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC.

In his ruling on the motion, Justice Emeka Nwite also directed that the former governor be produced before him on April 18 for arraignment.

He said, “It is hereby ordered as follows: that an order of this honourable court is hereby made directing and/or issuing a warrant for the immediate arrest of the defendant to bring him before this honourable court for arraignment. That case is adjourned until April 18 for arraignment.”

(NAN)