Hundreds of women in Kogi State weekend protested what they described as the alleged persecution of the state’s former governor, Yahaya Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The women, led by some community leaders and party faithful, converged on the state capital, Lokoja, urging President Bola Tinubu to call the EFCC to order, as they insisted that the former governor had done more for the people than his predecessors since the creation of the state.
Describing the governor’s ordeal as a “witch-hunt” by the EFCC, they called on the President to urgently intervene by directing the commission to allow the courts to do their jobs.
They argued that the actions of the EFCC on Wednesday indicated that the agency’s allegations against Bello were politically motivated and aimed at tarnishing his reputation, adding that they would not fold their arms and watch him lose his life.
One of the protesters, who introduced herself as Hajiya Halima Abbas, said, “We stand with our leader, Yahaya Bello in this trying time. We believe he has been targeted unfairly and we demand justice. We won’t watch him lose his life.”
Another protester, Mrs. Boluwaji, added, “The EFCC should focus on genuine cases of corruption, not political vendetta.”
