By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, ABUJA

A consortium of lawyers under the aegis of Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, on Friday, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to follow due process in its bid to prosecute the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

Bello is facing a 19-count charge bordering on his alleged complicity in money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of funds to the tune of about N80.2billion.

Trial Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja had fixed May 10 to rule on an application the former governor filed to challenge a warrant of arrest the EFCC obtained against him.

Meanwhile, in a statement they made available to newsmen on Friday, the legal practitioners, decried what they termed as media trial of the defendant by the anti-graft agency.

They equally faulted the ex-parte order of arrest which they described as premature, noting that it was issued at a time there was a subsisting order from another court of the same coordinate jurisdiction.

The group, through its Director-General, Mr. Samson Osondu Abugu, said there was need to accord every defendant the right of presumption of innocence as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Abugu said it was wrong for the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyade to arraign the defendant in the media during an interview he granted recently, when the matter is already pending in court.

“The threat by Mr. Olukoyade that he must see to the end of Bello’s case or resign, smacks of a calculated attempt at mischief and persecution.

“We urge Mr. President, who is currently enjoying the goodwill of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians to immediately call the Chairman of EFCC to order before the latter brings his administration to public disrepute.

“The withdrawal of the appeal on the order restraining EFCC and its agents from arresting or harassing Yahaya Bello by the commission itself is another indictment of the approach of the agency.

“Well-meaning Nigerians are wondering why the EFCC which was quite abreast with the order stopping it from arresting Yahaya Bello will go ahead to lay siege on his house and illegally attempt to arrest him?

“It is also clear that the EFCC’s own admission that it filed the appeal against the order out of time shows flagrant disregard to the hallowed chambers of justice.

“A commission that is created by law to enforce the law cannot flagrantly disregard an order of court in such a manner.

“From the foregoing, it is difficult to discard the growing concern of Nigerians that the EFCC is being used by desperate politicians to smear the good reputation of Governor Yahaya Bello.

“The commission must redeem its already battered image by towing the path of legality in carrying out its constitutional mandate. We will no longer accept any disregard and breach of court orders by the commission.

“The commission must take deliberate steps to ensure that it does not breach any laws in its further attempts to prosecute Yahaya Bello,” the group further stated.