A civil society group, the Concerned Citizens for Constitutional Democracy has condemned the invasion of the residence of a former Comptroller General of Customs, Abdulahi Dikko by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The CCCD in a statement issued at the weekend said this is a new dimension in the unleashing of state apparatus against perceived opponents warning that the country is gradually sliding into a dictatorial system of government with the rising wave of arrest of perceived opposition members and the flagrant neglect of rule of law under the guise of fighting corruption.
The statement, signed by CCCD’s National President, Anthony Kolawole, said it was apparent that the siege laID to Dikko’s house by the EFCC was for evidence fishing.
Kolawole said Nigerians would expect that the EFCC would have carried out its investigation and would have facts and credible evidence to work with and not invade the residence of alleged suspects who have not been invited for any questioning.
The group said while it is in support of the anti-corruption war of the current administration, Nigerians expect that it would be done under the ambit of the law.
He said members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are now massively defecting to the All Progressives Congress for fear of being harassed.
He said, “It is on record that the former Comptroller General of Customs was the one who fully opened the nation’s eyes to the potentials for increasing revenue generation from the organisation and should therefore not be treated like an insurgent.
“Dikko served this country dedicatedly while in office and any poor treatment meted to him will serve to discourage others from giving their best to the nation.
“The assault on the former Comptroller General of Customs has all the makings of the treatment meted out to other senior officials in former President Jonathan’s government who are currently in the incumbent government’s gulag. People are arrested and kept in detention and for as long as possible without being charged to court as the emerging dictatorship has fully constituted itself into the executive, legislature and judiciary.
“We are not the only ones expressing these concerns as the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu within the past few hours similarly expressed concerns about the growing authoritarianism in the land.
“Confirmation of this is evident in the wholesale defection from the PDP to the APC by persons who now understand that being part of the government and kowtowing to its wishes immunises them from persecution.
“We urge Nigerians to condemn these activities of state in persecuting those perceived to be political enemies while some sacred cows have assumed executive in government seats already. This is no way to fight the anti-corruption war and it is certainly no way to build national cohesion.”
The group further cautioned that it and people of like awareness will not sit by idle and watch the country slide into a dictatorship that punishes those who hold opposing views.
It urged the Presidency to call off the assault on Dikko and re-focus its energy on addressing the nation’s economic woes that were brought on by a distressed global economy.
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