Rights group backs EFCC over Okorocha’s arrest

Rights group backs EFCC over Okorocha’s arrest

By Samuel Ogunsona

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, has expressed support for the arrest of former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha.

The Economic and  Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC stormed the private residence of Okorocha in Abuja after he failed to honour earlier invitations.

In a release issujed by CACOL’s Director of Administration and Programmes, Mr. Tola  Oresanwo, on behalf of Mr. Debo Adeniran, the Chairman of the Centre, he stated, “it was reported that some EFCC personnel stormed Okorocha’s residence on Tuesday, laying siege on it”.

It is instructive to note that EFCC had on January 24, 2022 filed a 17-count criminal charge bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9billion against Okorocha. The case was assigned to Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja but attempts to arraign Senator Okorocha were twice stalled owing to the absence of the ex-governor who evaded service of processes.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that its operatives stormed the residence of Senator Rochas Okorocha because he refused to honour invitations after jumping administrative bail earlier granted him by the Commission.

Mr. Debo Adeniran said: “Nigeria has been corrupted to the extent that people jumped bail at will. It is wrong of Rochas Okorocha to tie his arrest and predicaments to effort at truncating his presidential ambition as he had been making people to believe. If his hands are clean, why dishonouring EFCC’s invitation? This is a man who wants to preside over the affairs of this country, yet he found it difficult to obey the law of the land by jumping bail and evading arrest.

In as much as we want to condemn the Gestapo nature of the siege and his eventual arrest, we want to be on the side of caution to reiterate that we fully support his arrest, interrogation and prosecution if found wanton.

EFCC could have been more patient till Okorocha attempts to go out or catch up with him at any public place or function instead of the alleged breaking in through the ceiling.

While we heartily appreciate the President Muhammed Buhari’s government in exposing the unbridled fleecing of our commonwealth under whatever guise, we at CACOL enjoin the Administration to not only retrieve all ill-gotten wealth from wherever it has been repatriated, but to ensure that adequate deterrence is meted out on those indicted for the evils of corruptive practices to take flight from our sociopoliticaln space.

We also call on EFCC to expedite the prosecution of  Senator Rochas Okorocha and his partners in crime and if found guilty, should be punished by the law, through the appropriate section of the Criminal Law.