Some protesters have besieged the Ilorin zonal command office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over the continued detention of a former governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed.
Recall that the former governor has been in the custody of the EFCC since Monday, following an invitation from the anti-graft agency over alleged financial mismanagement amounting to N10 billion.
The protesters, carrying placards with various messages expressing frustration and anger over the prolonged detention of Alhaji Ahmed, emphasized that he has been held for more than 48 hours without being charged in court.
Led by the state publicity secretary of the PDP, Olusola Olusegun, the people also accused the anti-graft agency of being used by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government to coerce the former governor into joining the ruling APC from the PDP.
Some of the messages on the placards read: “EFCC should stop being a tool in the hands of Abdulrazaq-led APC,” “Governor Ahmed was very transparent,” “EFCC is not a department in APC,” “EFCC, stop the harassment,” “The opposition cannot be silenced,” “Maigida will not join the APC no matter the persecution,” “EFCC, don’t instigate political crisis in Kwara State,” “No to illegal detention. Respect the rule of law,” among others.
The protest which commenced in the morning, ended at about 12:23 pm after an EFCC official, Micheal Nzekwe, addressed the protesters.
Addressing the zonal commander of the EFCC, Michael Nzekwe, he mentioned that the former governor had yet to meet bail conditions, stating, “We’re following the rule of law in keeping him.”
The EFCC boss also assured that the former governor would be charged in court as soon as the investigation was concluded, adding, “We’re wrapping up. Once we wrap up, the law would take its course. The anti-graft agency, being a creation of law, would not go contrary to the law.”
“Everything we’ve done is within the ambit of the law. The former governor is cooperating with us, and we’re making good progress following the rules of law. As I speak, he’s with his lawyer SAN; he attends to everyone who comes to see him. He has a doctor who has attended to him. He eats what he wants to eat. I urge us to allow the law to take its course. We’re not partisan nor prompted by anybody. This body is solely sponsored by the federal government.”
The former governor had earlier lamented not having access to his medical doctors and personal cooks in the custody of the EFCC.
The former governor said these in a statement issued in Ilorin on Tuesday night by his spokesman, and made available to journalists.
He blamed the agency for continuing to detain him despite fulfilling all his bail conditions without any justification.
Ahmed was appointed as the Commissioner for Finance in Kwara after Saraki assumed office as governor in 2003.
He also served as the treasurer of the Forum of Commissioners of Finance in Nigeria and the Chairman of the Budget Formulation Committee and Economic Team of Kwara State.
In the build-up to the 2011 general elections, Ahmed contested and won the primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He won the Kwara governorship seat and re-election after succeeding Saraki, who also won the election to represent Kwara Central senatorial district in the National Assembly after completing two terms as governor.
Ahmed left office in 2019 and was succeeded by the incumbent governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who won on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
