Nigeria's International Press Centre calls for the investigation and prosecution of Economic and Financial Crimes commissioners for their abuse of power.
This statement was originally published on IPC’s X account on 15 October 2024.
The International Press Centre, IPC, Lagos-Nigeria, through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) hub, has called for immediate investigation and prosecution of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials who invaded the broadcast house of Urban Radio Station (94.5FM), Enugu on Monday evening, October 14, 2024.
According to information gathered by SPJ-hub, “the officials overpowered the staff of the station who they alleged intimidated [them] with arms, forced them to sit on the bare floor, took their phones, and went straight into the live studio of the station and whisked away the anchor of the interactive programme, PRIME TIME, that was going on live at the time of the invasion.”
The Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, in a statement said, “this action is highly condemnable as it constitutes a despicable assault on the media and crass abuse of power. The trend of attacks on journalists recently reveals that the EFCC and security agencies have in recent times decided to adopt extra-judicial jungle tactics in venting whatever grievances they may claim to have.”
SPJ-Hub is therefore calling on the EFCC Chairman, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoye, to investigate the incident and ensure that the officers concerned are prosecuted and punished for their unprofessional action. This will further ensure that other officers learn from this incident while the Commission should also train its personnel on constitutional means of exercising their powers.
SPJ-Hub also condemns the recent attack on some journalists in Bayelsa State who sustained various injuries as some hired thugs attacked the venue of a press briefing organised by the Sagbama Local Government Chapter of the All Progressives Congress in Yenagoa, the state capital.
