16082018 - Uproar as EFCC seeks minutes of Benue's security meetings

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews
Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2018—5
POCKET CARTOON
COMMISSIONING—Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, flanked by
the Governor of Zamfara State, Abdula'aziz Yari Abubakar, while he
commissions the Gamji water project during a visit to the state, Tuesday.
Uproar as EFCC seeks minutes
of Benue's security meetings
meetings between 2015
and 2018, decried the
level of harassment and
intimidation of officials
of his government by the
anti-graft agency since
he dumped the All
Progressives Congress,
APC, for the PDP. He
stressed that the
commission had not
relented in persecuting
him since his defection.
In a statement signed
by his Chief Press
Secretary, Terver Akase,
Governor Ortom
disclosed that the
commission had
deliberately continued
to ground the state
government’s activities
with persistent invitation
of its officials to its office
in Abuja.
It’s ridiculous
— Ortom
The governor hinted that
the anti-graft agency had
reduced the persecution
to ridiculous level,
adding that “the EFCC
seems not to have been
done with the state
government; everyday
the commission invites
not less than seven
government officials to
Abuja.
“The victimization has
reached a level where
the commission is
demanding minutes of
the security council
meetings of the state.
This is a deliberate
witch-hunt against our
administration, all
intended to cripple our
government.
“Does the statutory
mandate of the
commission include
regulation of states’
security affairs? If we
may ask, what does the
EFCC want to do with
minutes of our security
council meetings?
“We wonder why
Benue is being singled
out for witch-hunt.
Governor Ortom is not
the first sitting governor
to defect to another
political party. Why is his
case different?
“The EFCC ought to
know that monetary
approvals are not given
during security council
meetings as such duties
do not fall within the
purview of the council.”
Unongo shocked
Reacting to the
development, elder
statesman, Wantaregh
Paul Unongo expressed
shock at current
happenings in the
country.
He said: “If you noticed,
I have not been speaking
on issues in the country
recently because things
that are happening in this
country are very strange
to those of us who appear
to be the founding fathers
of the country.
“The things that are
happening are very
strange to some of us,
very soon after observing
it, I will speak because I
have never heard of
anything like what I am
seeing in this country
now.”
It’s a witch-hunt
— Waku, Benue
tribal leaders
On his part, Senator
Joseph Waku attributed
the action of the anti-graft
agency to a clear case of
deliberate witch-hunt.
Waku said: “Has it been
the procedure? Is the
EFCC a security
apparatus
of
government? It is just
witch-hunting and
nothing more.
“The EFCC is not a
security outfit with such a
mandate, or have they
become the courts? It is a
clear case of witch-hunt
against the government.”
On his part, chairman of
Benue State tribal leaders,
Chief Edward Ujege,
cautioned that the EFCC
was taking its fight
against the state
government too far,
warning that the people
would resist any attempt
to cripple the state still
struggling to come out of
the harsh and devastating
effects of prolonged
herdsmen crisis.
Chief Ujege said: “What
they are doing is nothing
but a witch-hunt. It is not
in accordance with the
enabling law establishing
the commission.
“This is political witchhunt,
the EFCC has gone
too far beyond their
mandate. Our people will
resist this witch-hunt
because it’s being taken
too far,” Chief Ujege
added.
We have the right
— EFCC
Confirming the story
yesterday, EFCC
spokesman, Wilson
Continues on Page 41
How can activities of Yahoo boys be curbed?
By Bose Adelaja, Ebun Sessou,
Abasifiok Johnson, Opara Victoria
& Michael Somesi
THE government
should provide job
opportunities for our
youths. The rate of
unemployment in this
country is alarming. It is
a sad story. That is why
the youths rely on cyber
fraud to sustain
themselves. It can’t be
curtailed without
providing opportunities
for the youths, who have
nothing to do. The
absence of opportunities
is one of the factors
sustaining it in Nigeria.
Miss Ugo Chineyere,
Entrepreneur
THE fact that the law
enforcement agents
are already doing
something about
cybercrime in the country is
a good thing. However, that
isn’t just enough because
those who indulge in it
would eventually settle for
other criminal acts to
sustain themselves. For the
problem to be solved, it
should be tackled
holistically
Mr. Daniel Omojuwa,
Businessman
THIS menace has
really spoilt our
relationship with the
international
community. The menace
of Yahoo Yahoo boys can
be reduced or stopped
through the teaching of
moral values in schools
and churches. I believe
through that measure it
can be curtailed. Results
can be achieved through
the introduction of
quality education in the
country. People engage
in Yahoo Yahoo because
of the quest for free
money
Mr. Timothy John,
Lawyer
YAHOO boys are
more because of
poverty. If Nigeria can
deal with poverty by
providing job
opportunities it could
help. The government
should focus on the poor
as well as fight
corruption. But they are
busy fighting corruption
at the expense of job
creation for the
unemployed. Nigerians
should be patient, honest
and hardworking. These
virtues would help in
changing their mindset.
Miss Obi Happiness,
Student
CORRUPTION has
b e c o m e
institutionalised in our
society. I feel the primary
way to solve this issue is
for the government to
prioritise youth
empowerment. But the
government is only
concerned about
themselves and their
bank accounts. I am
convinced that job
creation can put an end
to Yayoo Yahoo. But the
government is not serious
about creating
opportunities for the
youths. That is why they
have embraced
cybercrime.
Akpoborie Oreva,
Student
MILLIONS of youths,
who graduate yearly
from our universities
don’t find jobs after their
National Youth Service
Corps programme. There
are no job opportunities in
both the private and public
sectors. Even when they
employ, only the children
of the rich are given appointments.
The economy
is also bad. Most of these
Yahoo boys would not have
engaged in economic crime
if they had opportunities.
However, this is not a case
for Yahoo boys but a statement
on reasons why youths
embraced it. It is wrong for
our youths to see it as the
only way out.
Michael Rotimi
Self-employed