CISLAC says attack on EFCC was to frustrate anti-graft war

 The Civil Society Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has condemned attack on Wednesday by unknown gunmen on the facilities of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), followed by deaths threats against the commission’s agents. CISLAC called the attack “unwarranted but suppressed” and showed an “emerging trend” in which officials of EFCC  in the course of their […]

 The Civil Society Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has condemned attack on Wednesday by unknown gunmen on the facilities of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), followed by deaths threats against the commission’s agents.

CISLAC called the attack “unwarranted but suppressed” and showed an “emerging trend” in which officials of EFCC  in the course of their duty are singled out as targets by armed individuals.

This June Wilson Uwujaren, an operative in the fraud section of EFCC’s zonal office in Port Harcourt was attacked by unknown gunmen.

CISLAC, a contact for Transparency International in Nigeria, said the attack on EFCC’s office in Abuja’s Wuse Zone 7 was “predominantly a ridiculous effort to frustrate the fight against corruption in the country.”

“We are disturbed but not surprised at such sponsored immorality and dubious move by some individuals or groups to divert the Commission’s attention and frighten anti-graft operatives from the progressive struggles at digging deep into and uprooting the major corruption cases in recent times,” CISLAC said in a statement by its executive director Auwal Ibrahim Musa.

“We find it worrisome that instead of collective encouragement and support towards upholding successes against corruption for the betterment of all citizens and progress of our beloved country, some unpatriotic individuals or groups have resulted to engage the service of armed bandits to backpedal anti-corruption gains with a wide threat to suppress anti-graft operatives under a susceptible tension to halt recurring investigative activities.

“The gruesome attack on the Commission was glaringly nothing but an endorsement of its commendable efforts in waging war against corruption in all ramifications which must be supported, upheld and sustained by all well-meaning Nigerians for socio-economic development and prosperity of the country.

“We call on the EFCC never to succumb to threat or intimidation by any person or group, but instead strengthen the fight against corruption through enhanced strategies and support for whistle-blowing activities.”