The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has warned Nigerians against obstructing its operatives during the course of their duties.

The warning came after security aides attached to embattled former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on Wednesday, obstructed operatives from arresting him at his Abuja home.

In a Wednesday statement signed by the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, the commission said, “The EFCC wishes to warn members of the public that it is a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the commission from carrying out their lawful duties,”

While quoting the provisions of the law, Oyewale noted that culprits are liable to a jail term of not less than five years.

He added that on several occasions, operatives of the EFCC have had to exercise restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.

He further noted that, regrettably, such disposition is being construed as a sign of weakness.

Oyewale noted, “Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.

“This warning becomes necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.

“On several occasions, operatives of the commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order. Regrettably, such disposition is being construed as a sign of weakness.

“The commission, therefore, warns that it will henceforth not tolerate any attempt by any person or organisation to obstruct its operation as such will be met with appropriate punitive actions.”

Earlier, the incumbent governor of the state, Usman Ododo, helped his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, escape arrest.

Our correspondent, who was at the ex-governor’s residence, observed Ododo’s arrival with heavy security at about 2:30 pm. on Wednesday.

About two hours later, at exactly 4:20 pm, Ododo’s entourage drove out with Yahaya Bello in the governor’s car.

About 10 minutes after the governor and former governor left, EFCC operatives laying siege to Bello’s home retreated from Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.

About 20 minutes after the EFCC operatives retreated, the policemen, operatives of the Department of State Services, Counter Terrorism Unit operatives, and other security agents guarding Bello’s house also drove off.

…Shareholders my wives and children, not northerners

• Says land for crop production, not ranching

An Enugu-born commercial farmer, Ahmad Sani Ibrahim, formerly known as Friday Nnaji, has petitioned the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 13, raising the alarm over alleged criminal defamation and attempts by some persons to misrepresent his farming partnership with the Enugu State Government, calling on the law enforcement agency to investigate the matter to avert breach of peace.

Mr. Ibrahim accused two indigenes of Isi-Uzo LGA, Mr. Simon Ede and Engr. Samuel Ugwuede of falsely relying on a purported search at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to present the agricultural venture with the state government as a front by some northern elements to acquire vast lands in Isi-Uzo for sinister purposes.

The big farmer, who said that he converted to Islam in 1998, also clarified that shareholders and directors of the company, who bear Muslim names were not northerners as published by Samuel Ugwuede and Simon Ede, but his wives and children.

He equally explained that the venture was for crop production, not ranching and further accused the duo of Ugwuede and Ede of cyberstalking, racist and xenophobic publications against his person, and Ugwu Anama Farms, as well a deliberate attempt to cause a breach of peace in Isi-Uzo and the state in general.

In the petition dated April 11, 2024, and accompanied with an old affidavit of change of name and the newspaper publication to that effect, the petitioner wrote: “I am a Muslim by faith and religion. I am an indigene of Ugwu Anama, Mbu in Isi-Uzo LGA of Enugu State. My native name is Friday Nnaji. After I converted to the Islamic religion and faith in 1998, I started bearing Ahmed Sani Ibrahim as my Islamic name.

“I am the promoter and majority shareholder of Ugwu Anama Farm Ltd. The other shareholders of the company are: Ibrahim Hassan, my Islamic adopted son, and also a director of the company; Layusat Shehu Jibril, one of my wives and a director of the company; Zainab Sani Ahmad, one of my wives; Mariyam Said, my Islamic adopted daughter, and Ahmad Sani Ibrahim, my biological son.

“While Engr. Samuel Chimaobi Ugwuede is from the same Mbu community as I, Mr Ede Simon Onyema is from Eha-Amufu, another community in my Isi-Uzo LGA. Both of them know me very well.

“In a bid to unlock the economic and social potentials of the state, the company and Enugu State Government, in March, 2024, entered into a Public Private Partnership Agreement (PPPA) wherein it was agreed, among other things, that the state will provide the company with 15,000 hectares of farmlands in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the State for the cultivation of cassava, rice, maize, high-yielding premium banana and yam.

“Having learnt about the above relationship between the state and the company, the duo of Engr. Samuel Chimaobi Ugwuede and Mr. Ede Simon Onyema maliciously, between March and April, 2024, made defamatory, offensive, ethnocentric, racist and xenophobic publications against the petitioners (shareholders and directors) on the WhatsApp group chat called “Isi Uzo News”, with intent to deliberately provoke breach of peace by offensive publication; cause criminal defamation, cyber stalking; and cause racist and xenophobic disaffection against the petitioners, by portraying the shareholders and directors of the company as Northern elements who are hiding under the cover of the company to acquire large expanse of Igbo land belonging to the Eha-Amufu people of Isi-Uzo LGA of Enugu State for sinister purposes.”

Attaching copies of the alleged offensive publications entitled “Unmasking those Behind Ugwu Anama Farm Ltd” and “Eha-Amufu Land: Hand of Esau and Voice of Jacob,” the farmer wrote, “Under the laws of Nigeria, every Nigerian has the right to acquire moveable and immovable properties, reside in and do legitimate business in any part of Nigeria, irrespective of religious or ethnic background and affiliation.

“Therefore, one being of another faith is not a barrier to acquiring land or doing business of any nature in Enugu State.

“Moreover, the duo of Engr. Samuel Chimaobi Ugwuede and Mr Ede Simon Onyema are enlightened and well aware of this fact, but deliberately and maliciously chose to make the said offensive publications against us with the ultimate intent of spreading hate and ultimately undermining the said project between the Enugu State Government and the company.

“The offensive publications are clearly intended to spread ethnic hatred against the shareholders and directors and endanger our lives, safety, properties and business interests in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo LGA and Enugu State at large.”

The company, therefore, requested the Police AIG to use his “good office to investigate this complaint and bring the culprits to book if found culpable.”

Meanwhile, Ibrahim-Nnaji is a commercial farmer involved in large’scale crop production in Isi-Uzo and other parts of the country over the years.