President Bola Tinubu has received a petition from National Progressives Hub, a support group of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, regarding the actions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the group deems to be “unprofessional, shameful, and unethical.”

The anti-graft agency attempted in vain to arrest former governor Yahaya Bello on Tuesday by invading the Kogi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja. Bello had previously appeared before the agency, but its representatives had turned him away.

The group demanded that President Tinubu summon Olanipekun Olukoyede, the head of the EFCC, to order, denouncing the agency for its aggressive actions.

In a statement released on Saturday in Abuja, the Hub’s national coordinator, Hon. Bukkie Okangbe, stated that state actors and agencies must fulfil their obligations in compliance with local laws.

“We know that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a government agency has a responsibility to discharge its duties, but we also believe that such responsibility must be carried out within the ambit of the law,” the woman stated, speaking on behalf of a group of people who uphold the rule of law and the sanctity of the constitution. Every individual is entitled to dignity under our laws, and any organisation acting in a way that violates this need to be brought to order. There are anti-crime organisations all throughout the world, and they haven’t been observed abusing their authority in the same way that the EFCC has.

According to records, on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, responded to the EFCC’s request for an interview by visiting the agency’s Abuja headquarters. The former governor could have been questioned any number of times by the agency to get clarification, but instead, he was told to go home, and later that night, the agency men went to carry out an illegal operation that could have caused another security crisis in the country.

Not only is the EFCC’s move needless and embarrassing, but it is also utterly immoral and unprofessional, particularly considering that the former governor had already made himself available to them.

This action demonstrates unequivocally that the agency’s allegations of corruption against the former governor are unfounded and lack solid evidence. The EFCC is only engaging in a media circus in an attempt to win over the people and present itself as a watchdog group representing the interests of the country. We disapprove of and denounce the EFCC’s careless behaviour, and we hope that no one will ever experience this again.

We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the EFCC’s leadership to order after witnessing repeated instances of abuse of authority and reckless intrusion, particularly against well-known and respected individuals in the nation. We refuse to allow the agency’s leaders’ self-serving and personal agendas to destroy the positive reputation of his administration, the Renewed Hope Administration.

We take this opportunity to reaffirm our dedication to and support for the federal government’s Renewed Hope Administration, and we thus urge the EFCC to stand by the administration rather than inciting public disapproval through their incompetent handling of issues,” the statement continued.