TheCable

The Oyo government has expressed its displeasure over the “detention” of Gafar Bello, the state’s accountant-general, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Wasiu Olatubosun, the state commissioner for information, culture and tourism, in a statement, said Bello was arrested on Friday and released on Monday.

The commissioner, however, added that the state has taken the matter to court.

“The continued harassment and intimidation of the accountant general and other officials of the state government by the EFCC is totally unconstitutional and unacceptable and is being contested in a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement issued on Tuesday reads.

“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.”

According to Olatunbosun, the state approached the federal high court in Ibadan on February 8, 2022, for declaratory reliefs and to issue an order of perpetual injunction restraining the attorney-general of the federation and the EFCC from interfering with the activities of government officials in the state.

“The EFCC had brazenly refused service of the processes at its Abuja head office for reasons unknown to the law, but as of today, March 1, 2022, at the hearing in Ibadan, Justice N. Agomoh directed the EFCC to accept service of the Oyo state government originating processes and pending applications in the full glare of the court,” he said.

“The trial judge also ordered that all forms of arrest and intimidation by the EFCC should cease.”

He added that the case has been adjourned till March 9, 2022, for the hearing of all applications.

Olatunbosun also said Seyi Makinde,  governor of Oyo, is committed to “fidelity, accountability, integrity, transparency and honesty”.

Efforts to get the official reaction of the EFCC proved abortive as calls and messages were not responded to.

However, a source at the commission told TheCable there were “allegations” linked to the accountant-general and that a case has been filed in court.

The source, however, did not give details of the “allegations”, adding that “it’s an Abuja matter”.