NUJ Criticises EFCC Over Invasion Of Abia Journalist, Norah Okafor’s Home

Abia State Chapter of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has expressed concern over the invasion of dwelling of Norah Okafor, a member of the union on Wednesday (22/09/2021) by operatives of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) Port Harcourt zone,saying it’s a nationwide embarrassment, Pressinformant stories.

The union in a press release on Saturday titled ‘EFCC ON A WRONG MISSION IN A JOURNALIST’S HOME, A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT’ expressed disappointment lifeless of the evening sting operation by which the EFCC officers allegedly busted into Norah’s condominium after disconnecting the wire used to affect the fence, scaled the wall and broke the gate key to gain unfettered entry into the constructing.

Describing the incident as an outline of a horror ‘scene from a success workplace field’ within the sufferer’s account, Comrade Victor Ndukwe, Chairman of NUJ Abia State Chapter took a swipe on the EFCC officers over what turned out to be a improper mission.

The union says, “After subjecting the poor girl and different occupants of the constructing to over two hours of grueling bodily stress, emotional trauma and destruction of their properties within the identify of looking for non-existent incriminating proof, the operatives declared “now we have simply wasted our time.”

“The declaration, in clear language, is a wholehearted, voluntary expression and admission of a disastrous omission of a mission; that they have been in within the improper place clearly for the improper purpose and on the improper time. This leaves a bitter style within the mouth, to say the least.

“It’s evident that this Gestapo-style invasion by the EFCC operatives was shy of due diligence and betrays the company’s declare that it arrested about 21 suspected Yahoo boys in Umuahia throughout that operation with none incident as a result of it was preceded by due diligence and verified intelligence! Nothing could possibly be farther from the reality.
You may’t topic an harmless and a good citizen to such horrifying, life-shortening, unforgettable expertise and declare to have carried out due diligence based mostly on wonderful intelligence.

“It’s common data that in each of this type of EFCC operation, nay some other safety arm in Nigeria, is fraught with visiting a really excessive diploma of each psychological and bodily torture on their targets who, oftentimes are harmless, as exemplified within the case of Norah.

“Might we remind EFCC that it was this type of brutality visited on Nigerians, particularly the youths and harmless, that birthed the nationwide #ENDSARS protest and we can’t overlook the dire penalties in a rush.

“It’s trite that no society is with out legal components. However in searching down these legal components, the safety brokers should, as a matter of the principles of engagement, make use of utmost discretion and apply a excessive diploma of warning in monitoring their targets as invading the houses of the harmless constitutes the worst type of violation of the elemental human rights of residents.

“The Council condemns in totality the midnight invasion of Norah’s residence which quantities to a brazen violation of her basic human rights, a unadorned show, and awfully improper utility of energy by the EFCC.

“The Council calls for a direct unreserved apology from the EFCC for this inexplicable improper mission and treatment for all damages.

“On this digital age, it’s excessive time the EFCC reviewed its modus operandi by deploying know-how in its operations of monitoring suspects, to finish its fixed selecting on improper targets and subjecting harmless residents to untold torture and nationwide embarrassment.”