A Non-Governmental Organisation, Kogi Youth Emancipation for Justice (KYEJ), which staged a peaceful protest in Abuja on Saturday, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to adhere to the rules of law and due process while carrying out its functions.
The Convener of Kogi Youth Emancipation for Justice, Mr. Ibrahim Abdulraheem, who gave the charge at a press briefing on the ongoing controversies surrounding the planned arrest of former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello by the Commission for allegedly using state resources to pay $720,000 in school fees for his children while in office.
Some of the placards displayed by the protesters read: ‘EFCC, please follow the rules of law’; ‘EFCC, there are surplus helpless cases in your office that have been there for decades, have you brought justice to them?’; and ‘Are you a show-glass witch hunter?’ Others include: ‘Where is justice for those cases?’; ‘Alh. Yahaya Bello was a billionaire before Governorship’; and ‘Governor that returned millions of dollars surplus to the World Bank’.
Speaking on behalf of the Group, Mr. Abdulraheem, who called for caution, argued that the former Governor, who was a successful businessman before being elected into office as Governor, has the wherewithal to pay for his children’s school fees abroad.
He noted, however, that the children of those behind Alhaji Bello’s travail also attend foreign schools but are currently insulated because they are not being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency.
“You said something about him withdrawing money for paying his children’s school fees according to the media with evidence. First of all, I want to ask: we are all Nigerians and we know how politics is being played in this country.
“Before assuming office, he was a successful businessman; that’s the first thing I want everybody to know. He’s a successful businessman; this person in question as well has refunded a lot of money worth billions of Naira because to the Federal Government, a World Bank project.
“Now if this person wants to embezzle money as the media has portrayed him before the general public, do you think he would refund back those money? No! “So, whatever is happening that the media has come forth to start saying that he paid money or he didn’t pay money, does it mean that all his life he doesn’t have such an amount of money to pay for his children’s school fees?
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“And the people talking out there, now let me ask, these people talking out there, do their children attend school in Nigeria? How are they paying their money? Is it because they did not come to the public or because they don’t have issues with the EFCC?
“Was that the reason why the former Governor of Kogi State is being dragged into the mud because he paid his children’s school fees with that kind of amount of money?
“People say he withdrew it from the state Treasury, I am sorry, how much are we talking about here, how much is the Kogi State allocation?
“Since assuming office, has he done any project? How much does a project worth that at the end of it all, $720,000 being paid just for school fees? There’s one thing my people used to say, life doesn’t always come as planned.
“But in every situation we find ourselves in, we make the best out of it. Whoever brought that fraud to the public is trying to make the best out of the situation at hand. And I promise you, by the special grace of God, if due process is being followed, and they follow due process, the end justifies the means.
” When asked whether the Group is satisfied with the 8 years in office, he said: “I’m going to answer this question in two ways; no one is perfect except God Almighty who created the heaven and earth. Even His Angels, from Adam to date. Nigerians, please listen to this, even His Angels were not perfect starting from Adam.
“So, for those 8 years, if we are not okay with him, I don’t think we can come out to seek justice. In as much as he is human, there are a lot of little things that may go wrong, but for us, we are proud of him.”
In his remarks, FCT Chairman of the Group, Mr. AbdulGaniyu Muluku, underscored the need for EFCC authorities to obey the subsisting interim injunction and adhere to the principles of due process.
“For an institution to jump court order to chase a man of integrity like this. Let them respect the court order and follow due process.”
He also urged that anyone who has anything against the former Governor should seek redress at the court of competent jurisdiction.
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