The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has no hands in the way the EFCC carries out its functions.
Mr Mohammed disclosed this on Wednesday to State House correspondents in Abuja while responding to reactions trialling Mr Olisa Metuh’s arrest by the EFCC.
The Minister challenged the media to carry out investigations on such reports to authenticate whether such allegations are true or false.
“I think the first point to make is that this government is not micro-managing any of the anti-graft agencies. I know for a fact that they don’t contact the President or anybody before they do their job.
“I think the media also has to do more than they are doing right now, they should investigate these allegations and also make their independent judgment about it.
“Honestly, if the EFCC or ICPC says that they are able to trace certain amount of money to my account, I don’t want you to believe it, I want you to also ask for proof; do your investigation.
“I can assure you that this government, no functionary in government micromanages or directs the EFCC or ICPC on who to arrest and who not to arrest”, he said.
This is coming after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Olisa Metuh, on Tuesday morning.
According to a statement, officials of the anti-graft agency told the opposition party spokesman that he was being invited on a friendly note to answer questions at the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja.
The PDP subsequently released a statement, signed by its National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, that the arrest of Mr Metuh was part of a larger script by the government to ensure that the party’s wings were finally clipped.
The party said that it was not surprised by the arrest because according to them, it came after series of threats on the PDP spokesperson.
“The excesses of security agencies under this government, especially the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) and the EFCC, in abridging the human rights of PDP members have become worrisome and a threat to our democratic evolution,” the statement read.
