Rivers govt accuses EFCC of media trial, says it will not be intimidated

- The Rivers state government and the EFCC are at it again, and this time the latter is being accused of cheap blackmail using the media

- The Governor Wike-led government said targeting the state for occasional media trial should be seen by the public for what it is, political witch-hunt

- The government of the oil-rich state has said it will not be intimidated by the anti-graft agency

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been accused by the Rivers state government of engaging in media trial.

This was in reaction to a report which alleged that Rivers government has refused to release top officials for interrogation in connection to the withdrawal of N118 billion in cash between 2015 and 2018.

The Nation reports that the government said it would not release any of its officials to the anti-graft agency until certain conditions are met.

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A statement by the commissioner for information and communications, Paulinus Nsirim, read: “We have repeatedly said that the state government will not release its officials to the EFCC for investigations until the commission approaches the court to set aside subsisting orders of perpetual injunction granted by various courts of competent jurisdiction restraining the EFCC from investigating or inquiring into the financial transactions of the rivers state government including its ministries, departments and agencies.

“In view of these subsisting judgments, it would amount to an act of brazen illegality for the EFCC to insist on interrogating any official of the Rivers state government.

"For the avoidance of doubt, no official of the Rivers state government would appear before the EFCC until the subsisting judgments in favour of the Rivers state government are set aside on appeal.”

Nsirim accused the anti-graft agency of resorting to media trial, describing the move as cheap blackmail and witch-hunt to turn away the attention of the public attention from the development strides in the oil-rich state.

Rivers government claims there is a plot to declare emergency rule in the state

According to him, the occasional media trial will not override extant laws no matter how hard the EFCC tries.

The commissioner further advised the agency to stop allowing politicians to use it for selfish gains and also stop playing to the gallery and pursue its war against corruption.

He stated that the Rivers government cannot be intimidated by the EFCC, while adding that those who want to use the agency to promote their political agenda in the state will fail.

“Targeting Rivers state for this occasional media trial should be seen by the public for what it is political witch-hunt,” he said.

In an earlier report by Legit.ng, the Rivers government alleged that some unnamed politicians in Abuja are plotting to force emergency rule in the state.

Though Nsirim did not mention names, he pointed out that those behind the plot were citizens of the state residing in Abuja.

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According to the commissioner, the plotters were trying to force the declaration of a state of emergency by causing a breakdown of law and order in Rivers.

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