By Khalid Idris Doya A pro-democracy group, Eyes on Democracy, has strongly condemned the arrest and detention of Bauchi State...
By Khalid Idris Doya
A pro-democracy group, Eyes on Democracy, has strongly condemned the arrest and detention of Bauchi State Accountant General, Sirajo Mohammed Jaja, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Speaking at a press conference at the NUJ Secretariat in Bauchi on Monday, the group’s Bauchi State Chairman, Munir Aska, described the arrest as politically motivated, linking it to an attempt to undermine Governor Bala Mohammed.
Aska argued that Governor Mohammed has been a vocal critic of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government, consistently highlighting issues of governance affecting Nigerians.
He suggested that the EFCC’s actions were aimed at distracting the governor’s administration.
“The recent detention of the Accountant General while attending the FAAC meeting in Abuja is a deliberate move by political adversaries to silence Governor Mohammed, who remains a strong voice for the masses against the APC’s bad governance,” Aska stated.
He further condemned the EFCC’s actions as an abuse of power, calling it a “politically motivated witch-hunt” meant to intimidate Governor Mohammed and his administration.
“This desperate move is clearly an attempt to silence a courageous leader who speaks truth to power. The EFCC is being weaponized as an instrument of political oppression rather than serving as a true anti-corruption agency,” Aska added.
The group expressed concern over the arrest, stating that the Accountant General had not been invited or engaged by the EFCC before his detention.
They insisted that Governor Mohammed has been prudently managing Bauchi State’s resources, leading to significant development and transformation.
Eyes on Democracy vowed to resist any attempt to use the EFCC as a political tool, urging civil society organizations, well-meaning Nigerians, and the international community to take note of what it called an undemocratic action.
“The EFCC must operate within the law. Any attempt to twist legal procedures to intimidate Governor Bala Mohammed and Bauchi State officials will be met with strong resistance from the people,” the group declared.
They called for the immediate release of the Accountant General and urged the EFCC to handle any allegations through due process.
“We stand firmly with Governor Bala Mohammed and all voices of truth and justice in Nigeria. No amount of intimidation will stop the march toward true democracy and accountability,” the statement concluded.
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