Oyo confirms accountant-general’s arrest by EFCC, laments alleged intimidation

The Oyo State Government has confirmed the arrest of the Accountant-General of the state.

It was gathered that the Accountant-General, Mr Gafar Bello, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibadan Zonal Office last Friday.

Our correspondent gathered that Bello was arrested by the anti-graft agency for allegedly conspiring with some politicians to engage in financial fraud.

He was arrested over the alleged misappropriation of about N9 billion but was released on Monday.

Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, confirmed Bello’s arrest in a statement obtained by DAILY POST on Wednesday.

He condemned what he called the continued harassment and intimidation of the Accountant General.

He decried that the EFCC has been intimidating other officials of the state government.

He described the arrest as unconstitutional and unacceptable.

Olatubosun added that the Supreme Court has decided that EFCC lacked the powers to prosecute issues that are not corruption cases.

He continued by saying that the arrest was a desperate attempt at thwarting a constitutional process that had already been instituted at the Federal High Court in Ibadan.

He said, “The EFCC and its officials have, since last year been mounting pressure on Oyo State and its officials to provide documents regarding disbursements and expenditure of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, Contingencies Fund and Security Vote lawfully approved and passed into Appropriation Law of Oyo State by the Oyo State House of Assembly.

“This is despite the fact that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has decided in a long line of cases that the EFCC lacks the powers to prosecute issues that are not corruption cases.

“The Oyo State House of Assembly has not made any such reports and thus the actions so far by the EFCC and the EFCC Chairman are unconstitutional and ultra-vires”.