GESTAPO is a German acronym for the German Secret State Police* in Nazi Germany known for its terrorist methods of operation.
Going secretly at night under the cover of darkness against any perceived enemies or suspects.
The EFCC over the years has however earned the reputation of the *GESTAPO following their noturnal raids of homes and workplaces of citizens and of recent Yahaya Bello’s residence after the man had submitted himself as a law abiding citizen to their office earlier that day and was asked to go home . Unfortunately for EFCC, Nigeria is not Nazi Germany and definitely not a banana republic.
Another perfect way to describe the crude and ancient EFCC’s modus operandi is that of the dance to the popular K- pop song by the South Korean artist, PSY released July 15th 2012 called ” GANGNAM STYLE ” which millions of Nigerians from the south west extraction nicknamed ” GRA- GRA STYLE” judging from the way the artist and his crew danced in a coordinated , planned but wild and gangsta manner . When asked about the meaning of the song Gangnam style, he said ” Gangnam is a Territory in Seoul Korea. I described it as noble at the daytime and going crazy at the night time” which perfectly described the EFCC actions on the day Yahaya Bello visited them and they behaved noble in broad daylight but went besserk at night .
Many Notable Nigerians had condemned the methodology of the EFCC . The former President, Nigerian Bar Association, Dr Olisa Agbakoba once said the EFCC shouldn’t have been in existence, challenging it’s legality and the alien methods of operation. Mr Dele Momodu also stated on his Instagram live show that ” EFCC MISFIRED” in their actions against Yahaya Bello and the human right lawyer , Dr Deji Adeyanju called on EFCC to adopt a better approach in it’s operations describing their approach as ” commando style investigation and arrest” and flagrant disregard for citizens human right citing frequent midnight raids of hotels, homes and places of work of citizens who are suspects .
More worrisome is the ” Naming and Shaming” of the citizens and the accompanying media trials which they have unjustly incorporated and normalized due to the Nigerians distrust of the justice system. The agency has adopted the ” bypass the courts ” strategy and taking their cases directly to the courts of public opinions , a mild form jungle justice taking advantage of the alternative justice system of medial trial because of the citizens have lost faith in the nation’s judiciary.
This ” GANGNAM (GRA-GRA) STYLE ” now embraced by the EFCC has seen the officers breaking unlawfully into homes at midnights, subjecting suspects to trauma and completely denying citizens their rights and freedom as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria hiding under the guise of investigating financial crimes. The truth is that a system can be very unobtrusive but effective like we have in my many matured democracies in the world but since the EFCC had continued this gangsta dance and gra-gra approach, one is constrained to join all well meaning Nigerians to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commence the process of scrapping the EFCC to save the country of disgrace brought upon her by the agency.
Nigeria is not a Nazi Germany and obviously not a Banana Republic…….Enough of the Opan Gangnam style dance of the EFCC ….
– Benjamin Joseph writes from Kaduna.
