From: Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Angry youths in Bayelsa State, on Tuesday, took to major roads in Yenagoa, the state capital, to rally in support of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the arrest and detention of Mr. George Turner.
Turner was former Special Adviser on Youth Empowerment to former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Bassey Dan Abia.
Turner, from Kolo in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, believed to be the godson of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was arrested and arraigned by the EFCC on a 12-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering and abuse of office.
The youths, under the aegis of the Concerned Citizens of Bayelsa State, led by their coordinators, Chief Harrow Zuokomor and Comrade Abule Bethel, marched through Ekeki Road to Melford Okilo Express road singing solidarity songs in support of the EFFC.
The aggrieved youths, armed with placards bearing inscriptions such as ‘We thank the EFCC for exposing corrupt persons’, ‘Enemies of Niger Delta exposed’, ‘Well done EFCC’ and ‘George Turnah impoverished Bayelsa State’, stated that the State is hungry for development and the return of the fund to the State Government will ensure proper and even development.
Zuokomor and Bethel noted that though the State was still in shock at the magnitude of seized fund meant for projects in some parts of the State, the protest was to commend the EFCC and ask the anti-graft agency to return the seized fund to the State for development purposes.
Zuokomor, while submitting the group’s petition to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba for onward submission to the EFCC lamented that the issue of corruption among political appointees from the State to national level is appalling.
Addressing the protesters, Amba promised to deliver their message to the appropriate authorities
Meanwhile the Niger Delta Against Corruption ( NDAC) has commended its members who took part in a peaceful protest on Tuesday to support the arrest and detention of George Turnah, the godson of former President Goodluck Jonathan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The group in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Larry Wanemi, explained that they decided to show solidarity by joining the protest because of their stand against corruption and corrupt people.
Wanemi said they had no apology to give to anyone for their role and informed that they would attend all the court sittings of the case until judgment was delivered.
He described Turner as one of the greatest enemies of the Ijaw nation and one of those who was responsible for the underdevelopment of Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta within the last six years.
The NDAC leader queried the silence of Jonathan in the face of the massive fraud, pointing out that the former president cannot claim that he was not aware of the flamboyant life Turner was living and even the multi-billion naira Kolo mansion he built in Ogbia which has now be forfeited.
