Nollywood top actor Segun Arinze has described the media trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello as alarming.
Mr. Bello is being dragged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged misappropriation of public funds and N80b money laundering scheme. Bello has been arraigned in absentia at a Federal High Court in Abuja after the EFCC’s attempt to arrest him became elusive. The former governor, his nephew and two others, are facing allegations of laundering N80 billion in a 19-count charge.
EFCC chairman Olu Olukoyede claimed among other allegations during a press conference in Abuja that Mr. Bello used $721,000 of State funds to settle his children’s school fees upfront.
Reacting to the developments Arinze said due process must be followed in the persecution of the governor.
“I have been observing the things that have been going on with the EFCC and Yahaya Bello saga and it has been quite dramatic.
“First, the EFCC came out with a lot of statements on social media and in the news about the bulged arrest of Yahaya Bello and of course, the amount of dollars he paid into his children’s school account. It’s not enough to say the money came from the government but if it’s substantiated, it’s damning.
“I’m not saying Yahaya Bello is innocent or guilty. I don’t even have much details about that. What I’m bothered about is social media. If social media hasn’t dragged you before, you won’t understand. Too many opinions on social media with all the feeds coming out from the EFCC and generally, it just brings a lot of negativity on both sides.
“What I’m saying is, social media parliament is not the Nigerian judiciary. It can’t make any decisions. As I am made to understand, the case is already in court. So my advice is that EFCC should follow due process. Let the law take its course. That’s my personal opinion.”
