Protesters storm EFCC office, demand ex-governor’s release

Some members of the Kwara State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday, stormed the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Ilorin, the state capital, to protest the continued detention of former Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed.

The protest was staged despite strong security presence at the zonal office of the anti-graft agency.

The placard-carrying protesters chanted songs in Yoruba Language to show their displeasure and express solidarity with the detained ex-governor.

The protesters expressed their frustration and anger over the continued detention of Ahmed, who had been detained for more than 48 hours without being charged in court.

Led by the state publicity secretary of the PDP, Olusegun Adewara, the people also accused the antigraft agency of being used by the All Progressives Congress-led government to coerce the former governor to join the ruling APC.

Some of the messages read: “EFCC should stop being a tool in the hands of Abdulrazaq led-APC”, “Governor Ahmed was very transparent”, “EFCC is not a department in APC, EFCC stop the harassment”, “The opposition cannot be silenced”, “Maigida will not join the APC no matter the persecution”, “EFCC don’t instigate political crisis in Kwara state”, “No to illegal detention. Respect the rule of law”, among others.

READ ALSO: EFCC grills ex Kwara Gov over alleged diversion of N10bn

The state publicity secretary said that the protest was staged to express their displeasure against perceived persecution, adding that the antigraft agency had been used against the opposition PDP for so long.

Addressing the protesters, the zonal commander of the EFCC, Michael Nzekwe, said that the former governor was yet to meet with the bail conditions, saying that “we’re following the rule of law in keeping him.”.

Nzekwe also said that the former governor would be charged to court as soon as the investigation was concluded, adding that “we’re wrapping up. Once we wrap up, the law would take its course. The antigraft agency, being a creation of law, would not go contrary to law.

“Everything we’ve done is within the ambit of the law. The former governor is cooperating with us and we’re making good progress following rules of law.

READ ALSO: EFCC grills ex Kwara Gov over alleged diversion of N10bn

“As I speak, he’s with his lawyer SAN, he attends to everyone who comes to see him, he has a doctor who has attended to him.

“He eats what he wants to eat. I urge us to allow law take its course. We’re not partisan nor prompted by anybody. This body is solely sponsored by the federal government,” the EFCC commander said.