Three people were on Tuesday shot dead just as over 20 trucks laden with petroleum products and granites were set ablaze by angry youths at Otovwodo, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State as the anti-EFCC protest embarked upon by some irate youths turned bloody.
The protesting youths who alleged their incessant arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission had earlier barricaded the Otovwodo axis of the East/West road thus disrupting vehicular movement and economic activities.
It was gathered that the Ughelli protest was ongoing just at the same time as scores of other placard-carrying protesters besieged Effurun roundabout near Warri as they showed grievances against the arrest and detention of some youths in the state by the EFCC operatives.
The protesters who had mobilised as early as 8 o’clock in the morning were calling for the scrapping of EFCC alleging that operatives of the anti-graft agency had virtually turned themselves into vendetta mafia.
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One of the Ughelli protesters who identified himself simply as Johnson stated that even though they want peace in Nigeria, “they are using EFCC to disorganise and prevent the youths from voting at the 2023 general elections and we will not accept it from anyone.”
Another protester who gave his name as Christian decried what he tagged as the overbearing posture of EFCC officials.
He said, “The activities of EFCC are becoming too much. We do not have good roads, schools are on strike, even after graduating, no jobs and they are here chasing shadows.
“After which, one old man will shake into position and tell us rats ran away with monies. Tomorrow, another will enter and tell us that mosquitoes fly away with monies. Is their money missing, or is it their fathers’ money?”
Also speaking with journalists, one of the protesters at Effurun Roundabout who would not want his name in print alleged that the EFCC operatives were “demanding as much as N2million each from any of the youths captured.
“Those who cannot afford the money, his or her assets such as car will be seized,” he further alleged.
The protesters further accused EFCC of “illegally entering Ughelli doing the same to youths since the 2nd of October, 2022 without proper investigation of what these youths do for a living.”
Recall that EFCC operatives stormed Warri last week, and reportedly arrested no fewer than 95 suspected internet fraudsters during a sting operation carried out by personnel of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency on Thursday, September 29, 2022.
The suspects who were reportedly nabbed at Adesa Ughonton and Jedda axis of Warri for suspected fraudulent internet-related activities were later remanded in EFCC custody.
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The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujeren, stated that phones of different brands, laptops and 15 vehicles of different brands were among the items recovered from the arrested suspects just as he explained that they would be charged to court once investigations are concluded in their respective matters.
The Police Public Relations Officer for Delta State Command, DSP Bright Edafe, could not be reached for comments on the incident as of the time of filing this report as repeated calls to his phone were not answered.
PUNCH
Metro4 days ago
