Hundreds of youths on Tuesday defied the early morning downpour to protest over the alleged invasion of their residence by operatives of the Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at about 2 a.m.
DAILY POST reports that the youths, suspected to be internet fraudsters popularly called “Yahoo Yahoo boys,” protested over security personnel’s alleged harassment and intimidation.
The irate youths, armed with placards of various inscriptions to register their grievances, lamented the arrest of their colleagues as well as the incessant harassment of young boys in the state by security agencies.
The protest, however, caused traffic gridlocks on the ever-busy Ugbowo-Lagos road for several hours.
It was gathered that during the protest, the youths attacked and vandalised a van said to be conveying personnel of the Edo State Security Corps, ESSC, at the Isihor axis of the road.
The youths alleged that operatives of the anti-graft agency had severally broken into students’ hostels at about 2 a.m., and expressed concern for their safety.
According to them, “We are angry because of EFCC harassment. They go to students’ hostels at midnight, arrest everyone and tag them as internet fraudsters.
“This must stop. We call on Governor Monday Okpebholo and President Bola Tinubu to call them to order,” they said.
Meanwhile, the EFCC authority has beefed up security around its Benin Zonal Office located at the High Court Road in Benin City to forestall possible attacks.
It was observed that the operatives mounted a checkpoint on the road leading to its office, where they subjected motorists to rigorous screening.
The spokesman for the Benin Zonal Command of the EFCC, William Oseghale, could not be reached for comments as calls to his mobile line went unanswered.
