By Samuel Forani
Abuja
A coalition of civil society organizations on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Abuja, calling out some officers of the agency for allegedly colluding with a known fraud suspect, Mr. Sylvanus Enonche Okoh, to obstruct justice.
The protesters, led by rights advocates and youth groups, accused some officials within the NSCDC of shielding Okoh, who has been accused of defrauding multiple victims under the guise of employment racketeering and contract scams.
According to the coalition, instead of cooperating with law enforcement agencies to ensure Okoh faces justice, some NSCDC operatives have allegedly been frustrating the case and intimidating victims who dared to testify against him.
Speaking during the demonstration, Comrade Musa Ibrahim, spokesperson of the coalition, said:
“We are here today because justice is being sabotaged. This man, Sylvanus Okoh, has ruined lives through fraudulent schemes, yet those who should protect Nigerians are shielding him. We have credible information that some NSCDC officers are colluding with him. This is unacceptable.”
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “NSCDC, Stop Shielding Fraudsters,” “Justice for Victims of Okoh’s Scam,” and “End Corruption in Civil Defence.”
Another activist, Barrister Grace Edet, urged the Federal Government to intervene, warning that the credibility of the NSCDC was at stake:
“If nothing is done, Nigerians will lose faith in the Civil Defence Corps. We demand immediate investigation of these allegations and sanctions for anyone found culpable. Fraud must not be protected under any guise.”
The group also submitted a petition to the NSCDC Commandant-General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, urging him to personally oversee the investigation into the alleged misconduct of his officers.
While addressing the protesters, a senior NSCDC official, who received the petition on behalf of the Commandant-General, assured the demonstrators that their grievances would be looked into and that the agency remained committed to integrity and justice.
The protesters, however, vowed to continue their campaign until the victims of fraud receive justice and all complicit officers are held accountable.
Dan Zaki Media 