EFCC Must Stop This Impunity

The National Frontiers, a Pro-Democracy Civil Society Movement in Nigeria, wishes to emphatically condemn, the continuous incarceration and detention of Mr. Robert Azibaola, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over allegations of involvement in some contract, awarded by the Immediate past administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to His company.

As we speak today, Mr. Azibaola have remained in the custody of the EFCC, having been questioned severally by operatives of the Commission, on a $40 million contract, awarded to His company by the office of the National Security Adviser, under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Since his detention on the 23rd of March, 2016, Mr. Azibaola have been constantly denied access to family members, lawyers and even his personal physicians. We view the current behavior of the EFCC and by extension the incumbent administration as not only outrageous but also callous and anti-democratic.

It is also condemnable, to see the desperate attempt by the EFCC to continually disregard the directives of the Federal High Court, ordering the immediate release of Mr. Azibaola, and the continued move by the same commission enacted by law, to use the orders, clandestinely secured from Magistrate courts, to superintend over the rulings of the Federal High Court.

As a democratically conscious organization, we have critically examined the gross abuses and violations of the rights of Mr. Azibaola by the EFCC and therefore in strong term, condemn this attempt to apply illegality in the pursuit of the objectives of an institution established by law.

May we remind the EFCC, that Mr. Azibaola, himself being a product of the struggle cannot easily be coerced or intimidated into implicating former President Goodluck Jonathan in some of its ongoing investigations, which we believe, remains the singular reason, why He is still being Illegally held under the gulag of this regime.

May we remind the EFCC and his operators that an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court and the agency cannot twist this otherwise, as it has attempted to do, in so many instances in the recent time.

The activities of the commission must be carried out with some measures of respect and human dignity in line with the provisions of our constitution, African Charter and UN charters on Human rights.

Finally, we demand that Mr. Robert Azibaola be immediately released or charged to court, for any offense(s), that may have been committed without delay. Nigerians must collectively arise to demand a stop to the ongoing impunity and further attempt, to politicize the anti-corruption crusade of the incumbent administration.

Eternal vigilance is the price for liberty.
Signed:
Comrade Olufemi Lawson
National Coordinator