SAN FRANCISCO, January 20, (THEWILL) – Some women, under the aegis of “Patriotic Mothers Without Borders” have stormed the Abuja headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) calling for the “arrest, investigation and prosecution” of Ayo Fayose, Governor of Ekiti State, over his alleged involvement in the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal.
The women, numbering about 300, carried various placards and banners with inscriptions like: “EFCC Must Prosecute Fayose”, “Corruption is Corruption”, “Fayose is being tormented by the blood of innocent Nigerians slaughtered by Boko Haram” and were heard chanting “Fayose must go”.
While presenting its petition to Umar Mohammed, Deputy Director Operations, Abuja, the convener of the group, Nnenna Jideofor, accused Fayose of stealing part of funds meant to equip the military in the fight against terrorism
She expressed discontent at the ruling of Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Ekiti, which ordered the EFCC to de-freeze Fayose’s Zenith Bank account which was frozen by the agency for alleged links to the arms deal scandal.
“The gravity of the crime does not permit that we wait indefinitely for Fayose to leave office; he would have finished spending his share of the loot by then, and he has all the time to destroy evidence,” she said.
“As mothers, we beg the EFCC to as a matter of urgency, investigate how much Fayose gave lawmakers of Ekiti State House of Assembly who we believe have lost their souls to an overlord.”
Responding, Mohammed assured the protesters that the anti-graft agency takes all petitions seriously, and that of the women would be given adequate attention.
“We are not selective in our operations, and every petition received is thoroughly investigated, no matter how highly placed the person is,” he said.
