The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Enugu Command, has arrested an outdoor advertisement executive over political advertisements bearing the name and logo of the commission, which appeared on two billboards in Enugu State.
According to the EFCC, the two Super 48 Sheet Billboards located at Otigba and Zik Avenue Junctions in Enugu bore offensive messages using the name of the EFCC to threaten the aspiration of some politicians in the state in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.
One of the messages read, “2023: Enugu PDP, learn from 2007 election. EFCC is coming with Koboko on corrupt candidates”.
Head of Media and Publicity of the anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, told The PUNCH that following credible intelligence received by the commission, operatives arrested one Baron Nnamdi, the alleged designer, printer, and owner of the billboards hosting the offensive political campaign messages on Saturday, May 21, 2022.
According to Uwujaren, Nnamdi confessed to being sponsored by an aide to an unnamed ex-Deputy Governor of the state who is running for office.
He said, “He has volunteered a statement to the commission, claiming he was contracted by a media aide to a former Deputy Governor of the state with governorship ambition.
“He claimed he was paid N160,000 for the one-week campaign. The media aide to the former Deputy Governor supplied him with the messages, EFCC logo, and pictures of Operatives used for the advertisement.
Uwujaren also noted that the billboards had been pulled down while warning politicians to desist from involving the commission in partisanship.
He said, “Following his arrest, our operatives visited the two sites and pulled down the offensive advertisements. Meanwhile, the commission warns politicians to play by the rule and refrain from dragging the EFCC into the political fray.
“Apart from issues of economic and financial crimes which fall within our purview, the commission has no role in the political process and should not be distracted.
“It should also be noted that the EFCC will not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law to bear on errant politicians who continue to impersonate the commission and its operatives.”
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