NUJ Zone B Accuses EFCC of Harassment, Demands Impartial Probe of Ogun Council Officials

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Zone B, has raised an alarm over what it describes as sustained harassment and intimidation of Ogun State Council officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, calling on the anti-graft agency’s leadership to urgently intervene and halt the persecution.

In a communiqué issued after its Zonal Executive Council meeting at the NUJ Lagos State Council Secretariat, the zone, which comprises Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, said the Ogun executives were subjected to “undue profiling, harassment and mental torture” by EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Office over a petition purportedly written by an unknown group called “The Patriot”.

The union disclosed that the affected officials had honoured EFCC invitations, opened the council’s financial records and answered questions on approximately 25 occasions, demonstrating their willingness to cooperate.

However, the NUJ expressed reservations about the handling of the matter, particularly allegations of bias and prejudgment against the Ogun NUJ Chairman by an EFCC officer identified as Mr. Bashir, Head of the Economic Governance Unit, who reportedly claimed to have concluded his preliminary report before interviewing the chairman.

The zone also questioned the propriety of the EFCC Ibadan Zonal Directorate handling the petition, arguing that Ogun State falls within the jurisdiction of the commission’s Lagos II Zonal Directorate.

The ZEC called on the EFCC leadership to “ensure an impartial investigation and prevent further harassment and unwarranted vilification of the affected officials”.

While acknowledging that no individual or organisation is above the law, the union maintained that investigations must be evidence-based, fair and conducted with due regard for fundamental human rights.

It stressed that where investigations establish prima facie evidence of wrongdoing, the appropriate step should be to pursue prosecution before a competent court of law rather than subjecting journalists and union officials to prolonged invitations and what it described as sustained intimidation.

The communiqué reaffirmed that the NUJ is an independent professional and labour union, not a financial institution, company, government agency or contractor, adding that it does not receive statutory subventions or allocations.

It explained that the union sustains its activities through voluntary contributions and support from individuals, groups, governments and corporate organisations, insisting that its legitimate financial and administrative activities should not be subjected to undue interference under the guise of investigation.