By CHARLES IWUOHA

Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL) has urged President Bola Tunubu to compel Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State to launch a probe into the alleged missing ₦3 billion earmarked for the Empowerment of Ebonyi indigenes.

The group, also extended the called on the Economic and Financial crimes Commission, EFCC, and the inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, to join into the probing.

A statement issued on Tuesday by Comrade Goodluck lbem, President-General of COSEYL, condemned the arrest of Comrade Chika Nwoba, a social media influencer and rights activist on Sunday, February 10, 2024 in Anambra State by Ebonyi state police command and whisked away to Abakiliki.

Nwoba, was picked-up by police through a soft-target, Miss Nwoba, who happened to be his youngest sister.

According to the statement, Miss Nwoba, it was gathered, was arrested while on her way from the market after dismissal from Church, on Sunday and was allegedly treated like a common criminal and forced to call her elder brother, Chika Nwoba to come for her rescue.

She was regained freedom when her elder brother the targeted victim appeared at the scene.

"At first, feelers said the Ebonyi-born Rights Activist and social critic was kidnapped and was taken to an unknown location, until reliable pieces of information came to us that he was being held by the Police Operatives from the Ebonyi state Command.

Nwoba, had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging that the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Chief Oguzor Offia Nwali alongside three others diverted the sum of Three Billion Naira (N3,000,000,000), meant for the Empowerment of Ebonyi boys and girls who are hawking and serving as house helps in various states of the Federation, whose condition had caused Governor Nwifuru sleepless nights.

"The money was meant to erase the shame and humiliation Ebonyi indigenes go through while serving as house-helps in people's homes across the federation.

"From our findings, the policy of the Ebonyi State Government was intended to take away over 500 Ebonyians hawking and doing menial businesses, out of the streets of Nigeria. And in saner climes, such social welfarism for the people is usually taken serious and monitored to the letter by the authorities to ensure it gets to the target audience.

"Our concern here is not to inquire why the Government of the day albeit allegedly left the process unmonitored, but why a whistleblower, who sought an inquiry into how the N3Billion Empowerment Fund was either judiciously disbursed or corruptly diverted by supposed functionaries of the State Government.

"As unbiased apex Igbo youth group, whose core mandate is the propagation of courses that will champion the development and well-being of youths in the South-East Geopolitical zone, we write to draw the attention of the President and Commander-in-Chief President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun; the leadership of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); the Amnesty International; among others, to intervene in this matter.”

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