Group flays EFCC over alleged victimisation of Ndigbo

The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has decried the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly sealing property belonging to people of the South East, especially Abia State.

In a statement issued by President General, Goodluck Ibem and Secretary-General, Kanice Igwe, the group said the act amounted to regional victimisation, just as it argued that there was no court order that empowered the commission to embark on such mission.

COSEYL said it was alarmed at EFCC’s recent sealing of buildings and property of Abia State indigenes.

“It is only a prerogative of a court of competent jurisdiction, as by law empowered to seal a property or keep the public off buildings and property in public and state’s interest if it is proven that such property was acquired through unlawful means.

“On the contrary, there is no warrant from any court, as to why the buildings should be detrained to COSEYL’s knowledge,” it stated.

The group also expressed frustration that it was only in the South-East geopolitical zone that such actions were freely carried out, adding, “It is shocking and sad that of the six geopolitical zones in the country, only political leaders of South-East are being targeted for intimidation and prosecution.”

Citing the recent foreign loan for infrastructure development from which the Federal Government excluded the zone, the group said, “Recently, the Federal Government took a foreign loan of $22.7b for infrastructure development.

“Northerners living in the South-East zone, to the knowledge of COSEYL, got palliatives and cash transfers from Federal Government’s social investment programme (SIP), while the people of South-East got nothing from its palliatives. The marginalisation and intimidation of the zone are unacceptable.”

Meanwhile, the group accused the Federal Government of humiliating and victimising people of the zone because of 2023 politics.

Ibem said such victimisation of Ndigbo was not unconnected to the 2023 presidential race, noting that since the zone declared its interest for the presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, those close to the corridors of power have a been plotting various schemes to edge out the region.

He noted that such victimisation had resulted in harassment, investigation, detention and wrong conviction by the EFCC, stressing that Igbo youths would resist any further attempt to victimize politicians of Igbo extraction.

It urged President Buhari to intervene in the injustice being meted to the Igbo by EFCC, insisting that Igbo youths would not fold their hands and watch their leaders being humiliated.