Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja

Human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission lacked the legal power to raid The SUN newspapers on Monday.

Ozekhome said since The SUN had appealed against a court ruling granting the EFCC permission to seize the property, it was wrong of the commission to storm the place.



The senior advocate said in a statement that the commission had turned itself into an instrument of oppression.

He said after intimidating the legislature and the judiciary, the next step was for the EFCC to intimidate the media which is the watchdog of society.

Ozekhome added, “I had like Nostradamus, predicted and warned a few months ago that after browbeating and messing up the legislature, cowering and intimidating the judiciary, the next port of call by the all-conquering executive will be the press, the 4th Estate of the realm.

“Some people thought that I was being alarmist because that appeared too far-fetched. Now we are there. Going by the questions the recipients of this barbaric act of intimidation were said to have been asked at The SUN premises, the invasion is targeted at total clamp down on the Nigerian press towards unhindered press censorship.

“How can a matter in which an appeal has been entered and both parties are already slugging it out at the Court of Appeal, ground levy of execution before judgement of the appellate court is finally delivered?

“Such crude reprobate action suggests total descent to anarchy and unbridled dictatorship and totalitarianism.”

The senior advocate said the raid of the media house was reminiscent of the days of military dictatorship.

He called on the EFCC to immediately remove the siege from The SUN premises, return all seized items and embrace the path of honour and due process in carrying out its functions.