HURIWA accuses EFCC of ethnic profiling against Igbo

The civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday, expressed profound trepidation and worry that a lot of critical-minded people in southerm Nigeria have accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of ethnic profiling against Igbo notable sons in the last few months.

It, therefore, urged the hierarchy of the EFCC to adopt transparent and accountable methodology of operation, irrespective of whether it is northern or southern Nigeria, so that they are not permanently perceived as a group of people, who have deviated from the time-honoured and time-tested mandates of anti-corruption crusade devoid of ethnic or religious profiling. HURIWA, in a statement by its National Co-ordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the field officers of the anti-graft agency under the leadership of Abdulrasheed Bawa must be probed for allegedly picking up innocent Nigerians in Gestapo style, sometimes in the middle of the night after invading their residences and hotels.  The idea that whenever Igbo youths, may be, due to exuberance, are shown on videos to appear to be spraying humongous amount of cash at social or religious functions such as funeral rites or weddings, the next day, the principal characters seen in the videos who are Igbo are profiled and arrested at the airport or just somewhere and the next day, the newspapers are awash with propaganda demonising the arrested citizens of South East origin.“But the same EFCC officials are never seen arresting or profiling northern youths similarly captured during high profile social or religious functions like the weddings of sons of prominent northern politicians who obviously are treated like sacred cows,” it said.

The group described as witch-hunt the arrest and humiliation of popular socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, known better as Cubana Chief Priest; his associate, Obinna Iyiegbu, known as Obi Cubana; former Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano; among other prominent sons of Ndigbo locked up on unproven allegations of tax fraud and money laundering, whereas suspects of northern origin even hitherto charged to courts for alleged heist of billions of public fund are suddenly left off the hooks and progressively rail-roaded into influential national political offices only because of their ethnic affiliations with those wielding political powers in Abuja.  Onwubiko, therefore, urged the EFCC under Bawa to thread softly and carefully, and quit launching attacks on prosperous Igbo sons. He also urged the agency to operate within the confines of the law. “The indiscriminate arrest of Igbo notable sons by overzealous and discretion-less EFCC operative is worrisome. The show of shame and commando-like raids being branded as legitimate operations that is a pastime of EFCC agents was aptly captured in a newspaper. “The earlier the EFCC comply with rules of engagement and desist from ethnic profiling of the Igbo the better. Also, the anti-graft agency should investigate its field officials who are alleged to be extorting school children by arresting, detaining and forcing them to part with a lot of money.  “In as much as we condemn advanced fee fraud, we condemn any activity of the EFCC that is deemed inimical to constitutional democracy and norms and principles of rule of law and due process,” the statement stated.