By Milcah Tanimu

Adams Oshiomhole, Senator representing Edo North, has leveled accusations against Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, alleging that he utilized his immunity to shield his predecessor, Yahaya Bello.

According to Oshiomhole, Ododo misused his immunity by obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from apprehending Bello, who was facing allegations of money laundering and corruption amounting to N80.2 billion.

During the EFCC’s attempt to arrest Bello at his Abuja residence as part of their ongoing investigation, Ododo intervened, preventing the anti-graft agency from taking action against his former boss. Subsequently, Bello’s whereabouts became unknown, and he was placed on a watchlist by the EFCC.

Despite the Kogi High Court’s ruling against the EFCC’s efforts to arrest Bello in a fundamental rights enforcement suit, Oshiomhole criticized Ododo’s intervention and Bello’s failure to appear in court, labeling it as a violation of the law.

Speaking at the ‘Revisiting the national question: Nigeria’s elusive search for national integration’ international conference organized by the Kukah Centre, Oshiomhole condemned the reluctance to hold influential figures accountable for breaching the law, contrasting it with the willingness to prosecute ordinary citizens for minor offenses.

He emphasized the need for courage in addressing such issues, highlighting the hypocrisy in avoiding accountability for powerful individuals while penalizing the less privileged.