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By Madu Obi
The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the apex sociopolitical youth group in the South East geopolitical zone, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, over the arrest of a social media influencer and human rights activist, Comrade Chika Nwoba for exposing alleged diversion of N3 billion empowerment fund in Ebonyi State.
Nwoba was arrested in Anambra State by a crack team from the Ebonyi State Police command and whisked to Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State. It was gathered that he was arrested through a soft-target, Miss Nwoba, his youngest sister.
According to a source, Miss Nwoba was arrested while on her way from the market after dismissal from church on Sunday and was allegedly treated like a common criminal and forced to call her elder brother to come for her rescue, adding that she regained her freedom when her elder brother appeared at the scene.
President General of COSEYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, in a statement, said Nwoba's offence was that he petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Chief Oguzor Offia Nwali, alongside three others, allegedly diverted the sum of N3 billion meant for the empowerment of Ebonyi youths.
Specifically, those to benefit from the empowerment are people hawking and serving as house helps in various states of the federation, whose condition Governor Francis Nwifuru, had repeatedly said, caused him sleepless nights.
Ibem said: "This money was meant to erase the shame and humiliation Ebonyi indigenes go through while serving as house-helps in people's homes across the federation.
"From our findings, this policy of the state government was intended to take away over 500 Ebonyians hawking and doing menial businesses, out of the streets of Nigeria.
"In saner climes, such social welfare scheme for the people is usually taken serious and monitored to the letter by the authorities, to ensure that it gets to the target audience."
"Our concern here is not to inquire why the government of the day, albeit allegedly, left the process unmonitored, but why a whistleblower, who sought an inquiry into how the N3 billion empowerment fund was either judiciously disbursed, or corruptly diverted by supposed functionaries of the state government, was arrested.
"As unbiased apex Igbo youth group, whose core mandate is the propagation of courses that will champion the development and well-being of youths in the South-East geopolitical zone, we write to draw the attention of the President and Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun; the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); the Amnesty International; among others, to intervene in this matter."
"The whistleblower, Comrade Nwoba, has been in the police custody for three days now for simply bringing a supposed rot in the corridors of government to public knowledge."
"We, therefore, call on President Tinubu, the IG, the EFCC and others to compel the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Francis Nwifuru, to launch a serious probe on the matter and possibly save his government from negative speculations by Ebonyians on the matter."
"The continued detention of Chika Nwoba over a matter that has been duly registered and reported at the EFCC is an infringement on his fundamental rights."
"We further demand that nothing untoward should happen to him while in the police custody. Those mentioned in the allegation should rather and freely approach the anti-graft agency to prove their innocence, rather than restoring to police brigandage and unnecessary witch-hunt."
"They should be conscious of the fact that the matter is already before a law enforcement agency and should thread with caution."
"The allegation revolves around embezzlement of funds meant for suffering Ebonyi indigenes across the country. Consequently, the governor should deploy his administrative powers and ensure that those indicted should be brought to book".
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