A human rights activist and lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of playing the ethnic card by arresting and prosecuting popular Nigerian socialite, Okechukwu Paschal also known as Cubana Chief Priest.
The celebrity was arrested and arraigned before a Lagos Federal High Court on a three-count charge bordering on naira abuse.
In his reaction, Idam described the arrest as ceremonial, adding that the EFCC was trying to pacify the Southwest for convicting Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, for naira abuse.
He urged the anti-graft agency to direct it’s energy to investigating the budget padding allegation raised by suspended Bauchi Central Senator, Abdul Ningi, instead of prosecuting Cubana Chief priest.
Speaking via a statement, he argued that the trial was a waste of time.
He said: “Funny to see that EFCC has adopted the Nigerian quota system in its prosecution of suspects. I see the prosecution of Chief Priest as a mere ceremonial exercise intended to pacify the West in order to balance the tribal or ethnic equation, possibly to douse tension coming from the needless prosecution of Bobrisky.
“Otherwise, the commission should be very busy investigating Senator Ningi’s allegation of diversion of the sum of over 3 trillion Naira by Akpabio and his goons at the National Assembly rather than chasing rabbits.
“It is either that the EFCC has become so idle or that it is looking for traffic on its page.
“The prosecution of Chief Priest for Naira abuse is pure time-wasting. The Commission should get busy with serious issues.”