During a press conference, the coalition comprising of youths across Kogi, Benue, Kwara, Niger, Nasarawa and Plateau states expressed deep dissatisfaction with the agency’s recent actions, which they believed violated Bello’s fundamental rights.
They argued that Bello, a citizen who has never been convicted of any crime by a competent court, has been subjected to unlawful treatment by the EFCC, which disregarded a court order protecting him from undue arrest or harassment.
The coalition decried this action as an unethical display of power, branding it as an attempt to harass and intimidate an innocent man. They referred to the EFCC's conduct as “lawlessness” and “character assassination,” claiming it was part of a broader political scheme to tarnish Yahaya Bello’s image.
The North-Central Youth Coalition called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and ensure that the EFCC respects the rule of law and Yahaya Bello’s rights and appealed to the Northern Elders Forum to step in and prevent the situation from escalating into a full-blown crisis, even as they accused the EFCC of selective justice and political persecution.
The group reiterated its stance as law-abiding citizens but warned that they would resist any further harassment of Yahaya Bello, emphasizing that the commission’s actions could incite anarchy if allowed to continue unchecked.
Responding on behalf of the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, his Technical Adviser, Dr Sanni Abdullahi Ozomata called on the youth to be calm and law abiding and allow the court to handle the case stressing that he is of the believe that rustice will be done.
He tasked the youth coalition to prevail on the federal government to bring some projects to the north central.
