A group of women who identified themselves as ‘Abiyamo Eko (Mothers of Lagos)’ has staged a peaceful protest at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office on Okotie-Eboh Street Ikoyi, Lagos.
The group, made up of women of various ethnic groups, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC to desist from extraditing Nigerians to the United state of America, Europe or any other country to stand trial, arguing that these countries have never extradited their sons or daughters to Nigeria to stand trial.
The spokesperson of the group, Bukola Sowunmi said: “We are here to plead with President Muhammadu Buhari, the EFCC and the entire people in government to stop extraditing our citizens abroad for trial. Whatever crime a Nigerian citizen commits, he or she should be allowed to stand trial in Nigeria.
Read Also: EFCC secured 4,430 convictions in 19 months, says Bawa
”I have never heard that Americans or British government or even Togo, sent their erring citizens to Nigeria for trial, why is it then that we are the ones always ready to send our citizens over for trial? Why are we the ones always sacrificing our own? We are Abiyamo Eko, we feel the pain of motherhood and we feel it when our government sends our children abroad to stand trial. We are making this appeal as passionate mothers.”
Another woman, Mrs Folashade Okafor, said: “The habit of sending our erring children abroad for trial is barbaric and seems like we don’t value our own. We are not saying don’t punish a crime, but punish them in Nigeria.”
The group numbering about 50 in number carried placards with messages such as: “Stop sending our children to foreign prisons’, ‘Let our youth be responsible for their actions in Nigeria,’ ‘Enough of slavery mentality’ and so on.
An official of the EFCC, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that they had taken note of the women’s message and implored them to take the matter to the Zonal office on Awolowo road.