Abia Governor Stops EFCC Convoy, Demands Release of Arrested Youths
Aba, Abia State, was the scene of a tense confrontation on Wednesday as state security forces directly intervened to stop operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The incident began when EFCC officials arrested more than 50 young men in the commercial city. According to eyewitness accounts, the agents had loaded the detained youths into vehicles and were preparing to transport them to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Their convoy, however, did not get far. Acting on the orders of Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, a combined team of state security personnel moved to block the EFCC vehicles. The governor, who arrived at the scene, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all the detained individuals.
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In a fiery address captured on video, Governor Otti challenged the basis of the arrests. “Aba boys are not thieves or killer herdsmen,” he stated directly to the EFCC operatives. “No such arrests of my people will happen under my watch.”
He issued a sharp directive to the anti-graft agency, instructing them to leave the city. “Head back to Sokoto and arrest the Fulani herdsmen, not innocent Aba youths,” the governor said.
The standoff ended with the EFCC agents complying under the visible pressure from state forces. All 59 young men were released on the spot. The EFCC convoy subsequently departed the area.
This public clash highlights growing tensions between some state governments and federal agencies over security operations. It also taps into a widespread sentiment in many southern communities, where residents often feel federal security actions disproportionately target their youths while other security challenges, like crimes attributed to armed herders, are not addressed with the same vigor.
Governor Otti’s direct intervention has sparked a wave of local support in Aba, with many residents praising his willingness to challenge a powerful federal body. However, legal experts note the move raises serious questions about jurisdictional boundaries between state and federal authorities.
As of now, the EFCC has not issued an official statement on the incident or specified the allegations against the arrested youths. The agency’s next steps, and whether this confrontation will lead to a broader political or legal dispute, remain unclear.
Abia Governor Stops EFCC Convoy, Demands Release of Arrested Youths.
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