This decision follows Bello’s move to the Supreme Court to appeal the arrest warrant issued by the trial court on April 17.
During the proceedings, Bello’s counsel, A.M. Adoyi, highlighted that the matter of the defendant’s arraignment is already under appeal at the Supreme Court. He requested the court to wait for the Supreme Court’s ruling to avoid jeopardizing the ongoing appeal.
In contrast, Kemi Pinheiro, representing the EFCC and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, argued that Bello’s legal team was treating the court proceedings as mere entertainment. He pointed out that a previous appeal concerning the service of charges had been dismissed by the Court of Appeal on August 28. Pinheiro insisted that Bello should not proceed further without submitting himself to the court, urging the judge to exercise authority over the situation.
Justice Emeka Nwite acknowledged the arguments presented and decided to adjourn the case to rule on the issues raised. He expressed the need to resolve these matters appropriately.
In a recent statement, Bello claimed he attended the EFCC’s invitation alongside Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo but was neither interrogated nor detained. The EFCC, however, disputed his statement, reiterating that he remains wanted. Following this, the EFCC attempted to arrest Bello at the Kogi Government Lodge in Abuja but was unsuccessful.
