Group Condemns EFCC/NCS’s Watchlist On Fayose

Change Nigeria Movement, CNM, a socio-political group, has condemned the placement of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fasoye, on security watch list by the EFCC and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS describing it as an embarrassment for Nigeria, Nigerians and the commission.

CNM, in a statement issued by its National Director of Information and Strategy, Abubakar Usman, gave the Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu and the Comptroller General of Customs, Hamid Alli, 24 hours to withdraw the memo that placed Fayose on security watch list and apologise to Nigerians for subjecting the two institutions to ridicule.

The statement read in part, “Our position is that Ayo Fayose is still a sitting governor who enjoys immunity from arrest and prosecution as prescribed in Section 308 (i) of 1999 Constitution as amended. So, we wonder if the EFCC, Customs, immigration services, police and other security agencies would say what the offence(s) of the governor is or are to warrant his arrest at airport, seaport or land border as pettily stated in their memo that was apparently leaked to the press to embarrass the governor unknown to them that they are embarrassing the sovereignty of Nigeria before the international community and also creating a bad precedent for generations yet unborn.

“Also, just like other well-meaning Nigerians, we are embarrassed that the Ibrahim Magu-led EFCC could not differentiate between the constitutional functions of the Nigerian Customs and those of the Nigerian Immigration Service, so, we are forced to ask from Mr Ibrahim Magu if it is the function of the Customs to check the movement of goods in and outside the shores of Nigeria or the movement of people in or outside the nation of Nigeria.

“We say very expressly that this is not about Fayose, the governor should face the full wrath of the law if he has stolen the commonwealth of his people; this is about safeguarding our law; an injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere. We call on the Nigerian Governors Forum to speak against this tyranny; it is Fayose today, it may be another person tomorrow. Thus, we consider the actions of EFCC and NSC as a declaration of war against the constitution and sovereignty of Nigeria.

“The EFCC rejoiced even more than card-carrying members in the aftermath of the narrow victory of the party on July 14 governorship election in Ekiti State on its official Twitter handle, so, what is currently happening is expected from Ibrahim Magu and his foot soldiers who had in the past three years showed that they were only interested in oppressing opposition against President Buhari than fighting corruption but we never knew the agency could be petty to the extent of leaking an official memo embedded with about eight official stamps to the public or placing a sitting governor on a watch list.