By Ishola Michael
A group known as Northern Christian Youths Forum embarked on peaceful demonstration, condemned in strong terms, the invasion of the Kogi State Governor's Lodge in Abuja by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) hours after the former Governor of the State presented himself at the headquarters of the Anti-Corruption agency.
The group which held a peaceful protest in Bauchi on Friday stated that, "This incident, not only represents a violation of due process but a dangerous assault on the core tenets of civil liberties, human rights, and government authority."
Convener of the group, Evangelist Shedrack Bamaiyi while speaking to journalists stated that, "We are here to address an alarming national issue—the recent unwarranted invasion of the Kogi State Governor's Lodge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the guise of seeking to arrest the former Governor, Yahaya Bello."
According to him, "This press conference has become necessary to highlight the gross misconduct demonstrated by the EFCC in their so-called fight against corruption, which has turned into a theater of absurdity, marked by dramatics rather than justice."
He narrated that, "You may recall that the EFCC, in a blatant display of confusion and disregard for proper legal procedure, declared Yahaya Bello wanted months ago without formally inviting him for questioning."
He added that, "They further compounded this illegality by rushing to secure an arrest warrant from the judiciary, bypassing the very legal protocols that protect the rights of all Nigerian citizens.
"Just this past Wednesday, the former Governor voluntarily presented himself to the Commission. Shockingly, rather than interrogating him, the EFCC asked him to leave without any form of questioning," he added.
He added that, "This baffling behavior underscores the disorganized nature of the agency’s actions, which seem less about pursuing justice and more about political vendettas."
Shedrack Bamaiyi stressed that, "What followed can only be described as an affront to the authority of Kogi State and a reckless attempt to silence a former leader. Mere hours after dismissing the former Governor, EFCC operatives, along with unidentified mercenaries, besieged the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, a symbol of democratic governance. This midnight raid, punctuated by gunfire, was nothing short of an assassination attempt masquerading as law enforcement."
He added, "We must ask ourselves—what justifies turning a government facility into a war zone to apprehend a man the EFCC had earlier sent home? This flagrant abuse of power by a government agency serves to erode the public’s trust in our institutions and casts a dark shadow over Nigeria’s standing as a nation that upholds the rule of law."
According to him, "For us in the Northern Christian Youths Forum, this represents not only a violation of civil liberties but a systematic attack on the democratic fabric of our nation. If former Governors are treated with such disregard for due process, what hope is there for the ordinary citizen? The actions of the EFCC in this matter have desecrated the sanctity of human rights and defiled the very essence of justice."
He stressed that, "To add insult to injury, the EFCC has yet to offer any explanation as to why a man declared wanted, who voluntarily submitted himself for interrogation, was later pursued with such force. This further affirms suspicions that the commission is no longer a neutral entity but one being used to settle political scores and carry out vendettas."
The Northern Christian Youth Forum thereby demanded for the immediate Resignation of Ola Olukayode, the Chairman of the EFCC who he claimed has demonstrated a lack of integrity in handling the case.
According to him,"His leadership has brought the commission to an all-time low in credibility. We demand that he step down immediately. We call on the relevant Committees in the National Assembly to investigate this blatant abuse of power. The EFCC’s actions need to be thoroughly probed to ensure such lawlessness is not repeated."
The group added that, "Justice Emeka Nwite, who has been complicit in this illegality, must recuse himself from the case involving Yahaya Bello. The case must be transferred to a judge who can approach it with impartiality and objectivity."
The group stated that, "This episode is a dark reminder of the fragility of our democracy. We must all stand together against the erosion of our civil liberties and fight to preserve the rule of law. The world is watching, and we cannot allow our nation to be dragged into the abyss of tyranny under the guise of fighting corruption."
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