The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Thursday, said intelligence information has revealed that a former state governor and some ministers are behind the planned mass protest against the anti-graft agency.
The anti-graft agency had on Wednesday raised the alarm that some persons were planning to stage a protest against it today (Friday).
Speaking on Thursday at the Strategic Communications Inter-agency Policy Committee briefing in Abuja, the Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, said some upright civil society organisations had disclosed to the EFCC that the planned protest was being sponsored by a certain former governor and some ministers.
Oyewale said, “I received a report that about 259 civil society organisations, under the aegis of the Coalition for Transparency and Economic Reform, came out publicly on Wednesday to dissociate themselves from the so-called protests.
“If you have 259 civil society organisations coming out publicly to say that we are not going to support you (protests), then, their moral base is totally weakened.
“Even this same group, they are saying that their own intelligence showed that an ex-governor, and two former ministers, according to them, are the arrowhead behind the so-called protests. That is their own intelligence.
“We also have our own intelligence, but the sum and substance of everything is that the protest is not in the overall interest of the nation and that youths should be wary so that they will not be recruited, they will not be used as cannon fodders in a cause that they really don’t understand.
“So, you can see that across the country, the commission is receiving very, very reliable support, including the media and every stakeholder in the anti-corruption project.
“Generally and holistically, all of these people that are talking about end the EFCC, don’t end EFCC, kill EFCC, don’t kill EFCC, they are people that are tangentially affected by the activities of the commission.
“If you have a commission like the EFCC, you are not receiving some kind of an attack, it either means that we are not effective, or the public is not concerned about what we are doing.
“So, we know that, yes, our activities are affecting people that have one thing or the other to hide, and we know that it’s natural that they want to fight us.
“And that’s why we came out publicly to say that tomorrow, the planned protests, what they have said is not what they actually mean. And we have a responsibility to tell the public.”
Oyewale said the attacks on the EFCC were a result of its ongoing fight against corrupt elements in the country.
He said, “Generally and holistically, all of these people that are talking about ‘End the EFCC, don’t end EFCC, kill EFCC, don’t kill EFCC,’ they are people that are tangentially affected by the activities of the commission.
“If you have a commission like the EFCC, you are not receiving some kind of an attack, it either means that we are not effective, or the public is not concerned about what we are doing.
“So, we know that, yes, our activities are affecting people who have one thing or the other to hide, and we know that it’s natural that they want to fight us.
“And that’s why we came out publicly to say that tomorrow (Friday), the planned protests, what they have said is not what they actually mean. And we have a responsibility to tell the public.”
Oyewale warned parents and guardians to prevail on their children not to join protests on the issues they have no clear understanding of.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West Zone D, on Thursday, dissociated itself from supporting any form of protest against the EFCC.
The student body informed the public that Nigerian students have a positive and transparent relationship with the EFCC.
This was disclosed in a press release signed by the Coordinator of NANS South-West Zone D, John Alao, on Thursday.
Alao said, “On behalf of the leadership of NANS South-West Zone D, I, Comrade Alao John, Coordinator of NANS Southwest Zone D, appreciate the opportunity to address some concerns and clarify our position on an important matter.
“As a representative of the student body, I would like to address recent speculations and clarify our stance regarding the protest against the EFCC by various groups. We wish to clearly state that we are not in support of any protests against the EFCC by some unknown groups and individuals. We stand with the EFCC in the fight against cybercrime and other related crimes which tend to paint the image of the Nigerian youths negatively.
“We encourage all students and members of the community to refrain from participating in any protests that may arise and to continue supporting efforts to promote accountability and good governance.”
Earlier on Wednesday,259 CSOs, under the aegis of the Coalition for Transparency and Economic Reforms, had condemned and dissociated themselves from the planned protest against the EFCC.
The coalition, in their statement, fingered “some aggrieved politicians, including a former governor of one of the northern states, two former ministers, and others as the brains behind the planned nationwide protests against the EFCC.”
“They are behind the promoters of this looming nationwide violence scheduled for Friday, July 5, 2024. The major aim of this planned massive violence is to create panic, fear and anarchy and ultimately scuttle the achievements of the current administration of President Bola Tinubu,” the coalition said.
COTER called on the Federal Government and the various security agencies in the country to act swiftly to prevent the planned nationwide protests at EFCC offices by PIDOM NIGERIA, which it described as another #EndSARS violence in disguise and a disaster waiting to happen.
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