Nigerian youths Declare Nationwide Protest

Nigerian youths are gearing up for a nationwide protest against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), condemning what they describe as the agency’s careless and unprofessional conduct.

The call to action was initiated by investigative journalist Pidom Nigeria, who announced the protest on social media.

According to the journalist, the protest will hold on Friday, 5th of July.

Pidom Nigeria wrote, “Nationwide protest against EFCC @officialEFCC. Let’s do a Kenya on them. Millennials and Gen Z will lead this protest. Enough is Enough.

“The nationwide Reform EFCC #ReformEFCC protest will be organic, peaceful, and will hold simultaneously across the nation.

“A minimum of 100 millennials and Gen Z, are expected to storm EFCC’S @officialEFCC corporate headquarters in Abuja, and all her zonal commands across Nigeria peacefully to submit their protest letters, and call for the much needed reforms, highlighting the unprofessional conducts of some EFCC operatives, and their flagrant violation of our fundamental human rights.

“Protesters shall display a mixture of different protest placards stating the various atrocities EFCC operatives are commiting across Nigeria, with suggestions of a reform process.

“Some will display placards with different write-ups, stating the reform we as ordinary Nigerians recommend for the Agency, or things we want them to do freely, if they must gain our trust, respect and support once again. It will be a very peaceful protest, and protesters are expected to be addressed by a senior operative of the command after they must have submitted their protest letters.

“Protest will last between 2-4 hours at the EFCC’S corporate headquarters and all zonal commands, holding simultaneously nationwide.

“After due consultations, we have agreed that the Nationwide peaceful protest on the Reform of EFCC #ReformEFCC will hold on Friday, the 5th of July, 2024. Time is 11am to 3pm. Venue: in front of EFCC corporate headquarters, and all zonal commands in Nigeria.

“We shall demand for the reform of EFCC @officialEFCC peacefully.

“They should respect the fundamental and constitutional rights of all Nigerians, especially youths.

“They should stop assaulting innocent Nigerians. Invading homes, hotels and night clubs like armed robbers in the middle of the night, destroying and stealing properties. (A couple who did their wedding, and were enjoying their honeymoon in a hotel in another state, outside from where they did their wedding. EFCC operatives invaded the hotel to raid. They broke into all the rooms, including where the couple were lodged while they were both naked. They carried the husband for no reason, joined him amongst others they arrested in the hotel, and tagged him a suspected internet fraudster. He ended up in detention)

“EFCC should be more professional in their fight against cybercrimes and other forms of criminalities, by singling out their suspects, after due diligence and proper investigation, so they can go after them with watertight evidence and court order, without assaulting innocent people, or endangering anyone. just like the FBI operates. (A young man flew into Nigeria from the US. He wanted to catch a local flight to his final destination, but the weather became bad with so many flight cancellations. His flight was rescheduled for the next day, so he opted to lodge in an hotel in town, so he could fly the next day. Unfortunately for him, EFCC invaded that hotel like armed robbers in the night, broke into all the rooms, arrested everyone, and left with them. The young man was tagged a suspected internet fraudster, and was paraded in their usual mugshot, with them facing back. He ended up in detention, he missed his flight, and lost so many of the things he traveled with back to Nigeria)

“That is why we are calling for the reform of EFCC, because anyone could be a victim of their unlawful arrest, and flagrant abuse of human right”.