From: Sola Ojo, Kaduna
A group known as Buhari Northern Youth Awareness Forum (BNYAF), on Monday, accused Nigeria’s leading anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) of selective investigations.
The group, which addressed newsmen in Kaduna State stated that the EFCC, in the last two years, had been beaming its searchlight on perceived corrupt individuals only from the northern part of the country, while those in the southern part have not been investigated as it ought to be.
Coordinator, Comrade Muhammad Lawal, who was supported by his secretary and other members of the group told newsmen that the EFCC, as an agency under the President, who is known for his integrity was not expected to be selective in its investigation since most of the people who are currently under investigation served in the previous administrations which is not limited to the North.
According to him, the EFCC has become mouthpiece for some people who are mostly from southern part of the country, which has made it difficult for the agency to investigate and prosecute corrupt people believed to be loyal to them.
Said he, “We wish to congratulate the general public and ourselves for the safely and healthy arrival of our father and the man of integrity, President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We have observed with keen interest the unfolding event in the country and the activities of some key government agencies that are part of the drive of achieving the lofty goals of our administration.
“It’s a known fact that, Mr president come into power with integrity and desire to fight corruption at all levels in the country. We remember in 2015 when we followed Mr. President to every nooks and crannies of the country where we promise fighting corruption which is the country’s worse nightmare.
“Therefore, it is very unfortunate to see how some people whom Mr President entrusted with fighting corruption were undermining the change agenda of present administration. In particular we have observe how the institution like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has engage in selective investigations and prosecution of people who are perceived to be against the interests of people.
“It is known that corruption in past administrations is universal and therefore perpetrated by people across ethnic, regional and religious divides but unfortunately what we witness now is the fact that fighting corruption and corrupt people was done against some people in the North while exonerating perpetrators from the west.
“We believed that, EFCC under Magu is being directed, stirred and decision made by Tinubu only violating directives from minister of Justice of the federation and defying rules of the Constitution which is clearly showing distrustfulness and disrespect to Mr President and his administration”, he stressed.
He further added, “more shocking is the fact that the EFCC is muscle by men like Prof. Itse Sagay and some lawyers under the guise of Human Right like Femi Falana and their cohorts. They have constitute themselves into authority in deciding who is corrupt and who is not thereby unilaterally deciding who EFCC should invite, investigate and/or prosecute without due regard to rule of law or constitutionalism”.