- Safiu Kehinde
A group of protesters has on Monday stormed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja in demand for the prosecution of former Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged financial misappropriation.
The group under the aegis of Mega National Movement for Good Governance reportedly gathered at the EFCC’s headquarters ahead of Nasir El-Rufai’s February 16 appearance before court.
This is coming the same day the ex-Kaduna governor was arraigned by the Department of State Services following his confession of involvement in the tapping of a telephone conversation by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The protesters at the EFCC premises had however centred their agitation on the prosecution of El-Rufai over finanicial misappropriation.
Videos shared on X showed the protesters with placards and banners demanding accountability and unbiased action by the EFCC.
Some of the placards read, “Accountability is Not Persecution: El-Rufai Must Defend His Record in Court”, “Enough Excuses El-Rufai”, “Courts Are For Justice Not Campaigns”, and “Power is Over, Face Justice” amongst others.
Meanwhile, another group comprising of El-Rufai supporters had also stormed the EFCC headquarters.
They were however denied entry into the premises as security operatives kept them at distance to avoid collision with the anti-El-Rufai protesters.
One of the aggrieved supporters recounted how the security operatives kept them off the EFCC’s premises while allegedly allowing the anti-El-Rufai protesters near the commission’s headquarters.
“We came out for El-Rufai only for us to come and see some people who are not even up to one local government insulting El-Rufai and humiliating El-Rufai for nothing.
“They allowed them to come close to EFCC so that they can insult El-Rufai while we that we are the people of El-Rufai, they stopped us from the junction.
“This is not justice. They should fear God. It is not all about money. It is not all about politics. This is not about power. This is not justice because El-Rufai is a leader and he is good person.
“If he is not doing with APC today does not mean that El-Rufai is a bad person.” She said.