Youth protest against EFCC in Oyo
Hundreds of youths on Thursday, October 6, 2022, staged a protest calling for the scrapping of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The youths, who marched to the frontage of the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan expressed displeasure with the conduct of the anti-graft agency, saying its activities have always been an assault on innocent youths, The Nation disclosed……..Continue Reading
The youths, who arrived at the Secretariat frontage in a convoy of over 20 vehicles with various banners, also carried placards and sang solidarity songs
They barricaded the entrance to the secretariat, making visitors and others stranded for several hours.
The protest by the youths also led to heavy traffic gridlock along Bodija, Parliament Road and Total Garden roads among other areas in the axis.
Some of the youths, in their 20s and 30s, accused EFCC of carrying out Illegal house search and arrests in their operations, thereby calling for the review and reform of the agency’s activities.
One of the protesters, Samuel, said they are agitating against indiscriminate arrest of youths by the EFCC who many times accuse them of being fraudsters.
Samuel, who said he is an engineer also into real estate, lamented that on several occasions he has been pounced on by EFCC officials, accusing him of being into fraud.
He said: “We are not asking them (EFCC) not to do their job but they should do it according to the law. They burst people, collect their phones and search it through. What kind of thing is that?”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reacted to protests by some youths who accused the anti-graft agency of extortion and illegal house searches.
The anti-graft agency in a post via its verified Twitter handle on Thursday, October 6, 2022, restated the EFCC’s commitment to locate, arrest and investigate anyone causing economic unrest.
Some youths gathered in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to protest, asking for the scrapping of the EFCC.
The protesters were seen holding banners, some of which read, “Enough of the extortion from EFCC,” and “End EFCC,” among others.
The youths, who also caused traffic around Bodija area of Ibadan, accused the EFCC of carrying out illegal house searches and arrests in their operations. They sought the review and reform of the agency’s activities.
Reacting, the EFCC said, “The EFCC’s mandate is to rid Nigeria of all forms of economic and financial crimes and will not be deterred by a mere campaign of calumny.
“Yahoo boys came out to protest because the eagle strongly detests their fraudulent interest but the EFCC will continue to do her best to locate, investigate and arrest anyone causing economic unrest.”
