Group tackles EFCC, alleges blackmail, media trial of select suspects

A group operating under the aegis of ‘The Coalition Against Injustice in Nigeria (CAIN) has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC of changing its mandate of core investigation of financial crimes to witch hunting, blackmailing and media trial of suspects, a development the group said, the anti-graft agency’s core mandate and objectives has been defeated.

The group maintained that EFCC’s selective investigation of some Nigerians while allowing others with corruption cases to walk free under the current Chairman, Ola Olukoyede has become a case of a “tool of witch hunt, targeting members of the opposition coalition

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In a statement issued by the group’s President, Abdulganiyu Lukman, National Secretary, Ifeoma Ada Chimezie, National PRO, and Musa Shehu Ado and sent to CAPITAL POST on Saturday, quoted Nigerians to have been demanding explanations as to why some people are being invited and investigated, while others were not.

The statement read: “While others, like Barrister Neysom Wike, with many allegations of corruption, have not been invited by the EFCC.

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“Former Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio. What of Tompolo and Abdulrasak Okoya’s son, who sprayed and abused the Naira? What of former Governor Okowa’s case? What is happening to Yahaya Bello’s case? What has happened to Beta Edu since she was sacked?

“In the same vein, we see people with corruption cases, but immediately become free of any wrongdoing after joining the APC, while others are being pursued with aggression, the lives of young and promising Nigerians are being destroyed, like Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Abdullahi Bashir Haske.

“They further decried the EFCC’s use of media trial to blackmail and crucify individuals without them having been invited, arrested or found guilty. The media has been used in intimidating and painting individuals black, making them lose sympathy of the masses and look guilty even before they have been officially investigated, charged or found with any economic and financial crimes.

“We are not surprised because the present Chairman was brought under the same condition. His appointment was first circulated in the media to gain Nigerians’ sympathy and watch their reaction, before he was appointed, alleging that he wouldn’t have merited the position constitutionally. No wonder, he is the only Chairman of the EFCC who has recorded the highest number of protests against him and calls for his resignation.

“We are neither against the EFCC nor its Chairman, rather, we respect and support it, but it is disappointing to see that the EFCC that is supposed to be leading the war against corruption is found completely derailing from its core aim and objectives, this is what we are out to correct for every Nigerian to get fair and just treatment.

“We are calling on Nigerians to never take EFCC seriously, until they are satisfied with the way the cases of these people mentioned above are handled, until the EFCC returns to its core mandate and its objectives.”

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