The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) has condemned the interference by Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, in the attempted arrest of Yahaya Bello by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged embezzlement of N84 billion state funds.
CHRICED, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim Zikirullahi, on Wednesday,, urged President Tinubu to take decisive action against corruption and issue an ultimatum to Governor Ododo to surrender Yahaya Bello to the EFCC.
According to the rights organization, failure to comply should result in the declaration of a state of emergency in Kogi State.
CHRICED said, "Corruption has emerged as a severe epidemic that Nigerians have been grappling with in recent times.
"The plague of corruption has continued to ravage the lives of citizens. It is one of the major tragedies of our country that the AllProgressive Congress (APC), which came into office in 2015 on the pretext that it was ready to fight corruption, has sunk neck-deep into the same corruption it claimed it was ready to fight."
Drawing parallels with international anti-corruption measures, CHRICED urged President Tinubu to adopt a zero-tolerance stance towards corruption, citing the examples of Arabia and China, where harsh punishments have led to a significant reduction in theft and corruption.
The group criticized the Kogi State Assembly's resolution that called for the EFCC to remove Yahaya Bello from its wanted list, labeling the move as a "shameful attempt to shield a corrupt individual."
Zikirullahi went on to emphasize that corruption not only erodes public trust but also alienates citizens from participating in the governance process.
CHRICED called on Nigerians to take an active role in demanding accountability in the use of public funds and to advocate for transparent governance at all levels.
The group added, "Corruption, in all its forms, undermines public trust and undermines the social contract,
"If unchecked, corruption alienates citizens from the governance process. Therefore, we urge Nigerians to take a greater interest in governance by demanding accountability for the use of public funds."
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