Drama played out at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Tuesday evening following a failed attempt by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest the governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Siminialayi Fubara.
It was gathered that PDP youths, who milled around Fubara at the airport, foiled the attempt by launching physical attacks on the EFCC operatives.
Fubara was said to be returning from Abuja where he went to collect a certificate of return from the PDP when the incident occurred.
No sooner had he disembarked the plane that flew him back than the operatives of the commission approached him to whisk him away.
But scores of youths who accompanied and formed a ring around him intervened and gave the EFCC officials the beating of their lives.
One of the operatives trapped in the melee was seen on a viral video shouting for help as the youths dragged his vest.
EFCC had declared Fubara, the immediate past Accountant-General of Rivers and three other top officials wanted over alleged N117billion fraud.
But the state government has always cited a perpetual injunction obtained by the past administration of Governor Peter Odili barring the EFCC from arresting any official of the Rivers Government.
After the drama, Fubara, who won the state PDP governorship primary on May 25 drove to the state party secretariat where he addressed party supporters and stakeholders.
But the EFCC condemned the attack on its operatives and warned that its civility should not be taken for granted.
The commission in a statement by its Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said: “Operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, were on Tuesday June 7, 2022 prevented from arresting one Sim Fubara, a suspect under the watch-list of the Commission, by thugs who breached the security of the Port Harcourt Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State.
“The armed thugs assaulted operatives of the Commission who demonstrated commendable restraint under extreme provocation. The Commission condemns the blatant attempt to obstruct justice, warning that its civility should not be taken for granted”.
(The Nation)
