Activists operating under the auspices of Anti-Corruption Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have expressed concern that claims of political persecution may gain traction due to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) hasty arrest of Alhaji Yahaya Bello the former governor of Kogi State just days before the Court of Appeal was to hear its application to revoke the restraining order.
They cautioned the commission against disrespecting the legal system while purporting to be enforcing its constitutional duty to combat corruption. Human rights activists and CSOs forewarned the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies not to violate the rights of alleged corrupt individuals to circumvent breaking one law to enforce another.
The activists particularly mentioned that the recent public confrontation between the EFCC and Yahaya Bello in Abuja was both unnecessary and unfortunate when they spoke at an emergency press briefing in Lagos yesterday. “.
Comrades Debo Adeniran executive chairman of the Center for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) Sina Loremikan Campaign Against Impunity Declan Ihekhaire Activists for Good Governance Gbenga Soloki CADOV Ochiaga Ohaneze Ohaneze Youth Council Funmi Jolade Women Democratic Vanguard Kola Abe Center for Socioeconomic Rights Ologun Ayodeji Transparency and Accountability Group Femi Lawson Center for Public Accountability and Gbenga Ganzallo Media Rights Campaign were among those attending the press conference.
Adeniran who addressed the press on Friday in Abuja said in a statement that was made available to BNN that the rush by the EFCC to make an arrest when the Court of Appeal hearing on its application to vacate the restraining order was just in a few days might give credence to allegations of political persecution.
He said Mr. My friend is EFCC Chairman Olukoyede. But that will be the end of our friendship if he starts to flout the law. . The CSOs claimed that the EFCC actions on Wednesday amount to the agency preempting the outcome of its appeal and also violating a valid court order to pause action until the case before is resolved. . ****.
They stated Our layman’s understanding is that a Court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot assume superiority over another. . Furthermore civil societies in Nigeria would oppose any attempt to use the military to apprehend someone who hasn’t been charged with treason according to Gbenga Soloki of the Center Against Injustice and Domestic Violence.
In their desperate attempt to violently or forcefully arrest someone who hasn’t been accused of treason, the EFCC is threatening to enlist the military which is disappointing to hear this afternoon. If that occurs we will be the laughingstock of the world. .
Should it occur as threatened civil society will actively protest such an unacceptable violation of our democracy. It really shouldn’t happen he remarked. We do not consider Yahaya Bello a saint Adeniran declared but even the devil deserves his rights under the law.
The former governor obtained a High Court restraining order which the Commission has rightfully appealed to vacate prohibiting the EFCC from arresting or prosecuting him until the outcome of a case involving the enforcement of his fundamental human rights according to court documents that are available to us. Since it cannot proceed with the suspect’s arrest without reversing that order the commission has done a very good job up to this point of adhering to the legal obligations.
The appeal hearing has been scheduled for Monday, April 22nd in Abuja per the court documents that are currently available. But all of a sudden on Wednesday word spread that the Commission had failed to apprehend the former governor. It was expected that the Commission would hold off on pursuing the suspect until after the outcome of its appeal. We believe that getting an arrest warrant for the same suspect from a different court while ignoring a court order that is still under appeal at the Commission’s request constitutes a misuse of the legal system. ****.
To control their interactions with corruption suspects the CSOs pushed the EFCC to vigorously combat prevent and prosecute corruption cases within the bounds of the law. They pointed out that both state and non-state actors were expected to obey laws including those governing the Nigerian criminal justice system’s rules and court procedures without distinction.
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