Following the loss of recent high profile
cases by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, the Governor of Ekiti
state has provided details why the anti-
graft agency is losing the cases.
Governor Ayodele Fayose
Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose,
has revealed why the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will
continue to lose cases in court. He said the
reason is because the agency is fond of
arresting people “without proper and thorough
investigation”.
He made this known in a press statement
by his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere
Olayinka. Fayose went on to condemn the
continued detention of former Governors
of Benue and Niger States, Gabriel Suswam
and Babangida Aliyu.
He said their detention showed the
disrespect for the law by the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC).
“It is even more worrisome that former Governor
Suswam has been in detention since February 26
this year and Austin Okai, who was arrested in
Abuja last Sunday, was arraigned in Lokoja
Magistrate Court on Thursday, granted bail and
rearrested at the court premises by the same police
that charged him to court.
“Arresting people without proper and thorough
investigation is the reason EFCC continues lose its
cases. How can you arrest someone, put him in
detention and start looking for evidence to
prosecute him?
“On Wednesday, the Department of State Services
came up with the most ridiculous reason for
keeping Suswam in detention since February. The
service said it would not release the former
governor because he has failed to cooperate with
investigators. The question is; what cooperation
does the DSS need from someone that will require
him being kept in detention for close to two
months without charging him to court?
“One may also ask: is the DSS also keeping the
head of Nigeria’s Islamic Movement, Ibrahim El-
Zakzaky, who has been in detention since late 2015
despite that the court ruled that he should be
released?
“Are we back to the era of Decree 2 of 1984 when
the National Security Organisation had powers to
arrest and detain Nigerians indefinitely?
“Also, for what lawful reason would the Police
charge Austin Okai to court and rearrest him at
the court premises after he was granted bail? Isn’t
the brutish use of power by these APC elements
getting too much?”
Fayose also insisted that the EFCC had no right to
detain any Nigerian without trial.
“Most importantly, it is assumed that before
anyone can be arrested for alleged corruption, the
EFCC ought to have done its job by gathering
necessary facts.
“This practice of EFCC arresting Nigerians,
detaining them indefinitely so that they can give
indicting evidences against themselves is alien to
crime investigation in civilised world.
“Therefore, if EFCC has any evidence of corruption
against Dr Babangida Aliyu, the commission
should simply charge him to court and use the
evidence(s) to prosecute him.
“In the absence of this, he should be released
forthwith; else one will also believe the insinuation
that the EFCC is holding him (Babangida) as part
of the APC-led Federal Government clampdown on
anyone that is perceived as having presidential
ambition in 2019.” Fayose said.
Alabatvnews.
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