A group women who stormed the Federal
High Court, Lagos in solidarity with ex-First-Lady Mrs. Patience
Jonathan...yesterday. PHOTO: Joseph Jibueze
A
COALITION of Ethnic Nationalities yesterday protested the alleged
persecution of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s family members by
the Department of State Services (DSS) and Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) “under the guise of war against corruption”.
The groups claimed that operatives of
DSS, EFCC and National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) invaded the
Abuja residence of Mrs. Patience Jonathan in her absence.
The protesters, who were heading for the National Assembly, were stopped at the Federal Secretariat, by a group of policemen.
Some of the protesters, however,
assembled at the first gate to the National Assembly, where they
addressed reporters on their mission to Abuja.
The protesting groups included Ijaw Youths, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and Yoruba Youth Council.
They expressed displeasure over the
ongoing trial of the former First Lady and a cousin of the former
president, Roberts Azibaola and his wife, Stella, by EFCC on what they
described as “phantom charges”.
The protesters, who displayed various
inscriptions lampooning the EFCC and the DSS, urged the National
Assembly and other concerned Nigerians to intervene.
In a letter, the groups appealed to the
National Assembly leadership to call “DSS, EFCC and NDLEA to order over
alleged witch-hunting against the former President’s family members”.
They asked the National Assembly to
ensure that the agencies adhered strictly to the principle of rule of
law in their operations.
They said: “An agency set up by an Act
of Parliament can definitely not be allowed to be turned into a tool for
witch-hunting of perceived enemies by any government in power.”
Leaders of the groups included Bristol
Alagbariya Emmanuel (Secretary-General, Ijaw Youth Council), Eric
Oluwole (National President, Yoruba Youths Council) and Mazi Okechukwu
(National Youth leader, Ohanaeze).
Culled from Nation
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