Traders in the popular Ladipo spare parts market in Lagos State on Saturday protested the arrest and continued detention of their leader by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.



They said the detention was politically-motivated.



At a peaceful rally in Lagos, the traders said the protest was to register their grouse over the arrest and detention of the President of Aguiyi Ironsi Trade Centre Traders Association, Mr. Jonathan Okoli, by the anti-graft agency.



They threatened to unleash mayhem if the Lagos State Government and relevant stakeholders failed to intervene in the lingering crisis in the market.



The traders also claimed placards with inscriptions like ‘Okoli’s arrest is a calculated attempt to cause trouble in our market’, ‘EFCC do you job well’, ‘Government should call EFCC to order’ and ‘If you push us to the wall we will fight back’, the traders.



They had trooped out in their thousands and alleged that certain individuals were plotting to use the commission to take over the leadership of their market and union.



The Secretary of the Aguiyi Ironsi Trade Center Traders Association, Mr. Lawrence Eze, who spoke with journalists, said their president had before now been arrested by the EFCC and granted bail , adding that the decision of the commission to pick and detain him again gives room for suspicion.



He said, “He has been invited before because of some allegations written in the petition of those we impeached from our market association wrote against him and was granted bail.



Eze explained that they had before now made representation to the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, (SAN) on the lingering crisis, noting that it would do the state more good if the government could take proactive measures to resolve the matter.



But EFCC’s spokesman, Mr. Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the arrest and detention of the leader, said the arrest was based on fresh allegations against him which must be investigated by the commission.






http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201009271305945

Mr Babafemi should be told in clear terms that one of the reasons Madam Waziri gave for being different from Mallam Ribadu she does not take people and clamp them into detention without proper investigation. That means if your are arrested today you are going to court tomorrow. Efcc can always invite this man from his home to come and answer questions or write his statement, arrest will be justified only if the subject matter did not honour such invitation. This is sheer human right abuse.

Nigeria is a funny country indeed.

It was demonstrations against EFCC in Rivers State, now it's Lagos Traders. Soon, the entire country will demonstrate.

I wonder why no body ever demonstrates against non-performance but when they are asked to answer allegations of corruption, they arrange people to demonstrate saying it is politically motivated. Even traders now use the term "politically motivated".

In Countries that have zero tolerance to corruption, once your name is mentioned in any corruption scandal, you are asked to resign until proven not guilty. Here in Nigeria, it is otherwise. We have no shame.

Thats Naija for yah. They like it when you "chop" their pay.

The part that caught my attention was when they said they would unleash mayhem.
Who do they want to u nleash the mayhem upon. Shey na us wey no know when them begin toasting talkless of loving each other, na hin dem wan fight.
them dey craze.
Fine thing do a peaceful protest match but please dont disturb public peace for selfish interest.
I hope EFCC does the proper thing and not detain him unjustly(as is common of them).

Why is the EFCC disturbing traders? ?
is that where loot recovery should be focused? ?
They are harassing self-employed nigerians while political looting rogues are
warming up to rule again.

One day God will destroy that country.

God will not destroy Naija. The probem with Nigeria start from each and everyone of us, and we are the solution to Nigeria problem with our individual changes in our daily living.

Spyker:

Nigeria is a funny country indeed.

It was demonstrations against EFCC in Rivers State, now it's Lagos Traders. Soon, the entire country will demonstrate.

I wonder why no body ever demonstrates against non-performance but when they are asked to answer allegations of corruption, they arrange people to demonstrate saying it is politically motivated. Even traders now use the term "politically motivated".

In Countries that have zero tolerance to corruption, once your name is mentioned in any corruption scandal, you are asked to resign until proven not guilty. Here in Nigeria, it is otherwise. We have no shame.

What r these allegations u talk of? as far as we all know, not 1 single allegation has been mentioned & u r here supporting EFCC for no reason at all. Pure Prejudice.

i think the opposition party has dambled into the EFCC's pucket,
Inother for them to take over the market and make it look like the current leader has lotted lot from the market pucket,
By the what alligations has been imposed on him, ? To be in detention for that long.

okeyxyz:

What r these allegations u talk of? as far as we all know, not 1 single allegation has been mentioned & u r here supporting EFCC for no reason at all. Pure Prejudice.

I am not supporting EFCC, what I am against is demonstrations on cases bordering on corruption. If we can mobilise and demonstrate that EFCC is a political tool, we should equally demonstrate on bad leadership.
Hope you remembered the YEAA (Youths Ernestly Ask for Abacha), the Co-ordinator Kalu (hope i got his name right) ran away with millions of Abacha's loot and was lambasting Abacha from Europe. If we must change this country, we should allow our leaders answer to cases of corruption and if the allegation is false, they will come out vindicated.
Was it not the same EFCC who investigated Babatunde Fashola or it is another one. Did Fashola mobilise people to demonstrate like we have in Rivers State? No.

This demonstrations against EFCC is an international embarassment no matter how you look at it. No where in the world that people demonstrate against the anti-graft agency. if you know one, please enlighten us.