Mike Odeh James
Abuja
A coalition of civil society organizations on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Abuja, calling out some officers of the agency for allegedly colluding with a known fraud suspect, Mr. Sylvanus Enonche Okoh, to obstruct justice.
The protesters, led by rights advocates and youth groups, carried placards and chanted solidarity songs as they demanded immediate intervention from the NSCDC Commandant General to stop what they described as “a brazen abuse of court process and manipulation of law enforcement.”
Speaking at the protest, Prof. Barika Dominic Saro-Laka, Founder of The Mighty One Empowerment Foundation, condemned the alleged actions of Mr. Okoh and warned against any attempt by security agencies to shield him from justice.
“This is bigger than one man or one property,” Saro-Laka told reporters. “It is about the integrity of our judicial system. Fraudsters must not be allowed to exploit the law while corrupt officers look the other way.”
Similarly, Mr. Shedrach Oka, speaking on behalf of Youths Off The Street, urged the NSCDC leadership to take decisive action against its officers found complicit in the matter.
“The Civil Defence Corps has earned public confidence over the years, but that reputation is now under threat,” Oka said. “The Commandant General must warn his men to stay away from illegality and stop aiding a suspect in clear disobedience of a valid court order.”
The coalition accused Mr. Okoh, who is already facing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on multiple charges of identity theft, personation, and making false statements, of manipulating the justice system to maintain control of property he allegedly acquired through fraudulent means.
According to the groups, Okoh—after securing bail in one EFCC case—went through a proxy to obtain a restraining order from a Wuse Magistrate Court, barring the legitimate owner of the disputed property from access. When the court later discovered he had misled it, the order was vacated.
Despite that ruling, the protesters alleged that policemen and NSCDC officers unlawfully continued to occupy the property, ignoring the valid court decision.
The coalition listed its demands as follows:
- Immediate enforcement of the valid court order vacating Mr. Okoh’s claims.
- Withdrawal of police and Civil Defence officers from the disputed property.
- Fresh charges against Mr. Okoh for abuse of court process and obstruction of justice.
- A thorough investigation into his alleged collusion with corrupt individuals and officers.
“This case has become a litmus test for justice,” the coalition declared in its joint statement. “Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done.”
