Activists underneath the aegis of Anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have stated the frenzy by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC’s) rush arrest former Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, when the Courtroom of Attraction listening to on its utility to vacate the restraining order was simply in a number of days, might give credence to allegations of political persecution.
They suggested the fee to not desecrate the courts underneath the guise of finishing up its constitutional position of combating corruption.
The CSOs and human rights crusaders cautioned the EFCC and different anti-graft businesses in opposition to trampling on the rights of supposed suspects of corruption with a purpose to keep away from breaking a legislation to implement one other legislation.
The activists, who spoke at an emergency press briefing in Lagos yesterday, famous particularly that the current public face-off between the EFCC and Yahaya Bello in Abuja was „each pointless and unlucky.“
The press convention was attended by Comrades Debo Adeniran, government chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Management CACOL); Sina Loremikan, (Marketing campaign In opposition to Impunity); Declan Ihekhaire, (Activists for Good Governance); Gbenga Soloki, CADOV; Ochiaga Ohaneze, (Ohaneze Youth Council); Funmi Jolade, (Ladies Democratic Vanguard); Kola Abe, (Centre for Socioeconomic Rights); Ologun Ayodeji, (Transparency and Accountability Group); Femi Lawson, (Centre for Public Accountability) and Gbenga Ganzallo (Media Rights Marketing campaign), amongst others.
In an announcement made obtainable to LEADERSHIP Friday in Abuja, Adeniran who addressed the press, stated “the frenzy by the EFCC to make an arrest, when the Courtroom of Attraction listening to on its utility to vacate the restraining order was simply in a number of days, may give credence to allegations of political persecution.”
He continued, “Mr. Olukoyede (EFCC chairman) is my buddy. But when he begins to trample on the rule of legislation, then that’s the terminal level of our friendship.”
The CSOs stated the EFCC‘s motion on Wednesday was „tantamount to the company preempting the result of its enchantment and likewise violating a subsisting and legitimate court docket order to pause motion pending the dedication of the case earlier than it.“
„Our layman‘s understanding is {that a} Courtroom of coordinate jurisdiction can not assume superiority over one other,“ they famous.
Additionally, Gbenga Soloki of the Centre In opposition to Injustice and Home Violence, stated civil societies in Nigeria would protest in opposition to any try to make use of the army to arrest a person who has not been accused of treason.
“This can be very disappointing to listen to this afternoon that EFCC is threatening to contain the army of their desperation to forcefully or violently arrest a person who has not been alleged of treason.
„Ought to that occur, we will probably be a laughing inventory globally. Civil society will probably be energetic in protesting in opposition to such unforgivable infraction on our democracy ought to it occur as threatened. It ought to higher not occur,” he stated.
Adeniran acknowledged, „We don’t contemplate Yahaya Bello a saint, however even the satan deserves his rights underneath the legislation. Courtroom paperwork at our disposal present that the previous Governor had obtained a Excessive Courtroom restraining order on the EFCC to not arrest or prosecute him pending the dedication of a case of the enforcement of his basic human rights, which the Fee has rightfully appealed with the intention of vacating.
“The fee has completed very nicely up thus far following the due processes of legislation as a result of with out vacating that order, it can not proceed with arresting the suspect.
“In keeping with obtainable court docket paperwork, listening to on the enchantment has been slated to come back up on Monday April twenty second in Abuja. Nevertheless, immediately yesterday (Wednesday) the information of the foiled arrest of the previous Governor by the Fee went viral. One would have anticipated the Fee to attend for the dedication of its personal enchantment earlier than going after the suspect.
“We expect it’s an abuse of court docket processes to disregard a court docket order nonetheless on enchantment on the occasion of the Fee and to acquire a warrant of arrest from one other court docket on the identical suspect.“
The CSOs urged the EFCC to battle, stop and prosecute corruption instances strictly inside the ambit of the legislation set as much as regulate the interplay between them and corruption suspects.
They famous that legal guidelines, together with the Nigerian legal justice system laws and court docket processes, have been meant to be obeyed non-selectively by each state and non-state actors.
