As the trial of former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello on alleged fraud charges opened Monday, the Federal High Court in Abuja was heavily manned by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission agents.
Armed with a variety of firearms, the agents used one of their cars to block the main road that led to the court building.
The security personnel at the court entry also deployed dogs and other weapons in addition to firearms.
As of the time of this report, lawyers who felt uncomfortable with the intimidating presence of the EFCC operatives, especially being subjected to unnecessary checks, were murmuring aloud, wondering what prompted the takeover of the court.
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Recall that the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Friday, December 13, 2024, granted Bello bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.
This was after the former governor pleaded not guilty to the 19-count charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
He is facing an alleged money laundering trial involving N80.2 billion but has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Joseph Daudu, SAN, is leading the defendant, while Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, heads the EFCC legal team before Justice Emeka Nwite.
