The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned that it is a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
EFCCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale in a statement issued Wednesday said Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
TheHintsNews reports that the operatives of the anti-graft agency had earlier on Wednesday try to arrest on the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello in Abuja but was prevented by thugs.
Against this background, the anti-graft agency stated categorically that culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
Oyewale noted: “This warning becomes necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
“On several occasions, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order. Regrettably, such disposition is being construed as a sign of weakness.”
The Commission, therefore, warned that it would henceforth not tolerate any attempt by any person or organisation to obstruct its operation as such would be met with appropriate punitive actions.
