Maintain Professionalism, Focus On Your Prosecution of Bello and stop raising false alarm about speculative plan to escape, Arewa Youths Tell EFCC
Youths from nineteen northern states under the auspices of Arewa Youth for Good Governance have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to end its media trail against the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello and concentrate on his ongoing prosecution.
The group says the consistent media appearance of EFCC executives smacks of unprofessionalism and needless desperation to swell public opinion in its favour and convict Bello in a mob court, insisting that it is a cause for worry.
In a statement on Monday, the Public Relations Officer of the group, Dr. Usman Yunusa said media persecution of the former governor, instead of his court trial is a sheer violation of rights to privacy even after leaving office as a public servant.
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According to Dr. Yunusa EFCC has demonstrated that it is on a personal vendetta against Bello with fictitious and defamatory comments its top officials keep passing through the media against Bello, at a time it should instead focus on the task before it — prosecution of Bello.
He said, “We find it disturbing and worrisome, that with the way EFCC is going about this persecution and avalanche of lies it keeps churning out everyday against Yahaya Bello, he may become a subject of mob attack some day.
“The anti-corruption agency is putting on the cap of the accuser, prosecutor, judge and the executor at the same time, damaging whatever is left of our human rights record as a country.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Yahaya Bello has never at any time showed lack of willingness to account for how he managed the affairs of Kogi before any court of competent jurisdiction. Our concern however is his security as a free-born, full fledged citizen of our great nation with all rights and privileges due to every other citizen as enshrined in our Constitution.
“We dare ask, with the poisoned and toxic environment, populated by malicious falsehood, blackmail and mischievously slanted discourse, how will a Yahaya Bello get justice?
“What stops him from being tried in Kogi where the alleged offence has been committed? Why is the Federal High Court in Kogi not competent enough, in the eye of EFCC to try Yahaya Bello?
“Why is the Commission bent on circumventing process just to have its way, albeit extra-judicially?
“As a nation, we are a creation of law. We must not continue to portray to the global community that our Constitution can be trampled upon just for one man to hung.
“Corruption is not fought on the pages of newspaper and if there is one man that has entrenched the culture of corruption fight in this country, it is Yahaya Bello with the culture of transparency, checks and balances he instituted in Kogi.
“The international community, human rights group, UN, National Human Rights Commission and all relevant agencies must be notified that the EFCC vs Yahaya Bello is just beyond a case of prosecution but persecution and personal vendetta and this must be put to an end”, he noted.
We dare to ask EFCC why the commission is not using same energy to attack others facing one corruption case or the other. It is to us height of embarrassment for EFCC to speak to press again after the case has been mentioned in court and another court appears slated for 17th of July. The EFCC is expected to maintain dignified silence in the public and go all out to fulfill its mandate in the private.
We are beginning to get concerned about the security of Governor Yahaya Bello in the hands of EFCC if he turn himself in with the way the commission is showing undue desperation and obviously unprofessional comments the chairman and spokesperson of the commission continue to make in the public. The international human rights organizations must as a matter of urgency step into this matter as the youths of the country are beginning to get worried that there may be more to this prosecution that fighting corruption .
