JUST-IN: Delta youths protest against EFCC, allege illegal arrests

Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports

Scores of youths in Delta State on Tuesday protested against the arrest and detention of some youths in the State by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Operatives of the anti-graft agency had stormed Warri last week and reportedly arrested no fewer than 95 suspected internet fraudsters.

The suspects were reportedly nabbed at the Adesa Ughonton and Jedda axis of Warri for suspected fraudulent internet-related activities during a sting operation carried out by personnel of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency on Thursday, September 29, 2022.

However, as early as 8 o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, the placard-carrying protesters had besieged Effurun roundabout in the city centre, calling for the scrapping of EFCC.

The protesters alleged that operatives of the agency had virtually turned themselves into vendetta mafia.

One of the protesters who would not want his name in print alleged that the EFCC operatives were “demanding as much as N2million each from any of the youths captured”.

“Those who cannot afford the money, his or her assets such as car will be seized,” he further alleged.

The protesters further accused EFCC of “illegally entering Ughelli doing the same to youths since the 2nd of October, 2022 without proper investigation of what these youths do for a living”.

The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujeren, had last week stated that phones of different brands, laptops and 15 vehicles of different brands were among items recovered from the arrested suspects.

Uwujeren explained that the suspects remanded in EFCC custody would be charged to court once investigations are concluded in their respective matters.