Senator Akpan sues EFCC over alleged rights abuse

The Senator representing Akwa Ibom North East District in the National Assembly, Bassey Albert Akpan, on Friday said that he has filed a suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for breach of his fundamental human rights and personal rights as well as abuse of the court order which was sought by the Commission itself.

Senator Akpan, who urged the public to ignore what he described as distorting and misrepresentation of facts, said that his invitation by the commission last Tuesday had absolutely nothing to do with any gift of N303m worth of vehicles he allegedly received from an oil baron as has been circulated in the media.
In a statement personally signed by the Senator and titled: ‘My Political Ordeal with the EFCC’, he said, “The letter inviting me by the EFCC was for clarification of issues concerning my tenure as a commissioner of finance between 2007 and 2014.

“I got to the Commission on Monday, May 14th, 2018, and was shown the file of investigation and the petition of the Barr. Leo Ekpenyong in 2015 which was withdrawn by him of which my statement was obtained by the commission in November 2015 and April, 2016.
“I therefore insisted that I will not write any other statement, but adopted my earlier statement of 2015 and 2016 after which I was granted bail by the commission and told to come back the next day.
“EFCC applied for a two weeks detention court order against me which the court in its wisdom denied. This, I have confirmed based on the certified true copy of the order at my disposal.

“I therefore see my ordeal as a political persecution and witch-hunt which is normal and usual at times like this.
“My lawyers have therefore filed a suit against the commission for this breach of my Fundamental Human Rights and personal liberty, and the abuse of the court order which was sought by the EFCC itself.
“As a public officer, whether past or present, you will be required by relevant authorities for clarifications from time to time, which is a normal course of action to ensure probity and accountability.
“There is therefore no cause for alarm since as law abiding citizen, I will always make myself available whenever the need arise. I therefore urge the public to ignore the distorting and misrepresentation of facts as my invitation by the commission had absolutely nothing to do with any gift as its being circulated in the media.
“I am confident of my innocence since I served my state well and meritoriously so as a key and prominent member of the uncommon transformation class of 2007-2015.
“God’s Justice will always prevail over man’s judgement as God will always win. I remain ever committed in service to my constituents.”