The People's Democratic Party (PDP) Senatorial candidate for the just conducted bye-election in Ebonyi South Senatorial District, Barrister Silas Joseph Onu, has condemned the arrest of Mr Chika Nwoba, an ex-spokesman of the party in the state, for being a whistleblower on the alleged diversion of the sum of one billion naira by a serving commissioner in the state.
In a petition forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Enugu Zonal Office, Mr Nwoba alleged that the current commissioner for commerce and industry in the state, Mr Oguzu Offia Nwali alongside other suspects has diverted over one billion naira, which the state government mapped out for the empowerment of indigenous street hawkers across the country.
Recall that the N3 billion fund was approved by the state government to empower 1,500 hawkers and other citizens from Ebonyi State.
The State Governor, Francis Nwifuru said it would take it in batches, each beneficiary will receive N2 million only.
The first batch of 500 hawkers shared the N1 billion allegedly diverted by Oguzor Offia Nwali and cohorts.
Reacting to the allegations, Mr Oguzu Offia Nwali reportedly arrested the whistleblower in his residence at Awka, Anambra State, on Sunday.
The Commissioner subsequently arraigned Nwoba before a Magistrate Court presided over by Mrs Lilian Ogodo in Abakaliki, the state capital, on Tuesday, who remanded him at the state correctional centre for lack of jurisdiction to entertain the matter and referred it to the High Court scheduled for March 1, 2024.
Questioning the arrest and subsequent arraignment of the whistleblower, Barrister Silas Onu, in a statement forwarded to journalists in Abakaliki, he described it as a sad development that exposing corruption in the state has become life-threatening.
"It’s sad that in today’s Ebonyi State, exposing corruption comes with a threat to the life of the whistleblower. I thought that Nwoba Chika Nwoba had taken steps to verify and substantiate his allegations by writing a petition to the EFCC.
"Why will the police be so willing to be used for purposes of silencing Nwoba? Well, they have succeeded in keeping him in prison via a well-coordinated arraignment before a court they knew had no jurisdiction, and the magistrate delivered what they desired."
Barrister Onu, who lamented over the situation, regretted that the unprofessional action of some security agencies in the country has jeopardized the essence of community policing and opined why the idea of state police would not succeed in the country.
"This is why state police will never work in Nigeria. Imagine how the federal police are already being used by an ordinary commissioner.
"Chika Nwoba won’t be in prison forever, and the allegations he made will also not disappear, as some of us are now willing to join in and ensure that the truth is not swept under the carpet via intimidation and harassment.
"Now, we will all become Chika Nwoba and ensure that all acts of corruption are exposed, whoever is involved."
Onu said this while calling on Governor Francis Nwifuru, to ensure that the rule of law is maintained in Ebonyi State.
"His harassment is hereby condemned, and I call on the Governor of Ebonyi State to rein in his appointees by ensuring that no one is placed beneath the law.
"I will formally ask Transparency International to take steps towards unearthing the veracity of the allegations against the appointees of the State Governor. I do hope and pray that their books are transparent and that the beneficiaries of the said fund are traceable targets of the said fund.
"We cannot be complacent because the police will be used to harass us and then refuse to expose corruption; we will take up the fight from where they have distracted Chika. I know that he had some facts to back up his claims before going public, as he never speaks flippantly," it stated.
