A coalition of civil society organisations raised serious alarm that the recent allegations against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olanipekun Olukoyede, by a group a lawyers is a planned attack to distracting the head of the graft agency from the fight against corruption in the country.
Some lawyers had on Friday accused the EFCC boss of flagrantly disregarding valid court orders and breaching the constitutional rights of Nigerians.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, the Convener of the civil society coalition and Chairman of Conference of Civil Society of Nigeria, Mr. Adams Otakwu, said that the allegations against the EFCC by the lawyers is an insult to the entire nation, which is targeted at distracting and derailing the ongoing war on corruption.
The coalition in strong terms denounced the lawyers’ “unfounded claims”, and described the lawyers as jobless detractors, paid hecklers and defenders of Injustice unknown to the civil society.
“The assertions put forth by these lawyers, accusing the EFCC of flouting court orders and infringing upon the constitutional rights of Nigerian citizens, are not only devoid of merit but are also symptomatic of a deliberate attempt to impede the ongoing efforts of the EFCC to combat corruption and promote accountability within our nation.
“It is imperative to underscore that actions undertaken by Mr. Olukoyede are not personal endeavors but are emblematic of the steadfast commitment of the EFCC as an institution of the Nigerian people to uphold the rule of law and foster transparency in governance. Any insinuation to the contrary is not only fallacious but also an affront to the integrity of the EFCC and the Nigerian People.
“Furthermore, we categorically reject the insinuation that these self-proclaimed defenders of justice are acting in the interest of the Nigerian populace. On the contrary, it is evident that they are driven by ulterior motives, perhaps influenced by vested interests seeking to undermine the progress achieved by the EFCC and the watchful Civil Society of Nigeria in the last six months.”
The groups urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union not to listen to the so-called lawyers.
