There was a mild drama at the Port Harcourt International Airport 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 learnt that some youths, sympathetic to the PDP, foiled the attempt by launching physical attacks on the EFCC operatives. The youths were with Fubara at the airport.
Fubara was said to be returning from Abuja where he went to collect his Certificate of Return from the PDP when the incident occurred.
The operatives, who were waiting Fubara’ s arrival swung into action immediately he alighted from the plane.
But the youths formed a ring around him and attacked the operatives whose mission was to arrest and whisk him away.
One of the operatives trapped in the melee was seen on a viral video shouting for help as the youths dragged his vest.
The anti-graft agency declared Fubara, the immediate past Accountant-General of Rivers State and three other officials wanted over an alleged N117billion fraud.
But the state government 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.
The EFCC condemned the attack on its operatives and warned that its civility should not be taken for weakness.
In a statement by the Head of its Media and Publicity unity, Wilson Uwujaren, the commission 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.”
