A group of activists, including the convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, on Friday submitted a petition addressed to the Chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu calling for the investigation of the source of money conveyed in bullion vans to the home of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu on the eve of the 2019 presidential election.
But that was not without some incident. Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission reportedly manhandled journalists at its head office in Abuja while the activists were making it to the head office of the anti-graft agency to submit their petition.
A PUNCH report named other activists who signed the petition were Ariyo-Dare Atoye of the Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution and Adebayo Raphael of the Free Nigeria Movement.
According to the newspaer, while Adeyanju was addressing the press by the road leading to the EFCC office, armed security details attached to the commission threatened the activists and journalists to halt the address.
As the press briefing began, two gun-wielding operatives proceeded to seize and drag the cameras from the journalists.
The harassment continued for over a minute until the protests by the journalists and the activists started to create a scene.
Turning to the security personnel, Adeyanju said, “You are busy following yahoo boys (Internet fraudsters) up and down. You are coming to intimidate people here. Why would you tell me to leave this place? The harassment is too much. This is a public institution.”
Speaking to journalists on the petition, however, Adeyanju said, “Remember, a few days ago, the EFCC challenged Nigerians that the reason they cannot investigate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the election eve bullion vans sighted at his residence was that there was no petition to that effect.
“Some of us have already taken up the challenge which is exactly the reason we are here and I believe that, as citizens of our country, we must always ensure that the right thing is done at all times.
“You can see that, even as we are addressing the press, members of the EFCC are harassing us.”
The petition noted that Section 7 (1) (b) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004 gives the commission the power to investigate properties of any person that appears to the commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.
The activists called on the commission to, as a matter of urgency, “swing into action” and begin an investigation into the appearance of
EFCC is empowered by law to investigate, prosecute and penalise economic and financial crimes and is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of other laws and regulations relating to economic and financial crimes.
A copy of the petition shared by Adeyanju on Twitter has the stamp of the EFCC that it has received the petition requesting it to investigate the former Lagos State governor.
“To the best of our knowledge, Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a private citizen who ordinarily should not be seen with a convoy of Bullion Vans,” Adeyanju said after submitting the petition.
The petition reads,
“The commission would recall that it was reported all over the news that Bullion Vans allegedly containing an undisclosed amount of cash were seen entering the home of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State on the eve of Nigeria presidential elections. Tinubu himself admitted to this fact while responding to questioning by journalists.”
Adeyanju wants the anti-graft agency to answer these questions:
“What are bullion vans doing in the house of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu? “Who owns the content, believing to be cash in the bullion vans that were seen entering the house of Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the eve of Nigerian presidential elections? “Has the commission, based on its core mandates, investigated the source of the Bullion vans? “Is Bola Ahmed Tinubu house, now a bank where bullion vans now take money to?
See copy of petition below:
Comrade Deji Adeyanju@adeyanjudejiPetition submitted to @officialEFCC but the ever unprofessional police at their office still wanted to intimidate us.
