By Emmanuel Ajibulu
Nigeria’s security agencies are now known for employing cruel and outdated tactics in the course of law enforcement. Their repertoire includes harassment, extortion of Nigerians, illegal arrests, detention, and extra-judicial killings.
Instead of refraining from such hubbub, it seems the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has joined in this crude show of force with its operatives’ engaging in Gestapo-style arrest, interrogation, investigation, etc. Law enforcement is a given in society, but the manner in which the EFCC goes about it seems to be lacking in tact, very unconventional, and utterly embarrassing.
For a struggling economy, one that is also desirous of diversifying its revenue base away from crude oil, this is an antithesis, to say the least. Sadly, innocent Nigerians will be wary of venturing into investing in the economy bearing in mind that they are vulnerable to unwarranted humiliation, arrest, and detention. Similarly, it creates a negative business environment for foreign direct investment, etc.
EFCC should stop adding to the misery of the law-abiding Nigerians. The anti-graft agency should resist the temptation of violating the rights of Nigerian citizens. It should enforce the law with civility, not like a gangster organisation, and stop harassing innocent, law-abiding, and hardworking Nigerians, especially when EFCC has no facts or evidence to prove its case. Relevant stakeholders must rise to the occasion and stem the tide and give our country the good name and image it deserves, the world is watching us. Nigeria isn’t a banana republic, therefore it should be stripped of being seen as a laughing stock, deservingly so. May God bless and prosper Nigeria.
Emmanuel Ajibulu is the Publisher of veracitydesk.com.ng, an infopreneur, and a social media influencer
