A blogger, Dikeocha
Chukwuebuka, arrested by Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for publishing fake story on the commission,
has asked for clemency.
Chukwuebuka
was alleged to have published a picture of a crowded cell, alleging that it was
it was the EFCC’s detention facility in Port Harcourt.
Chukwuebuka,
who apologised to the commission and the general public for the misleading
information, said that he didn't mean to deceive the public and cause
controversy.
His words: “Firstly,
I will like to apologise to the Commission and to the general public to the situation
my tweet caused. It wasn't my intention to shame or embarrass the Commission in
anyway, but it was a situation which I happened to come across. Also, I want to
say that the pictures are not formulated or Photoshop and they do not belong to
the EFCC. I will also like to say the picture was taken at a building through
the glass and the picture belongs to the Police Anti-Cultism Unit and I am
ready to offer all the assistance at my jurisdiction to investigate the matter.”
According to
Usman Imam, EFCC head, Port Harcourt Zonal Office, Chukwuebuka allegedly tweet
the picture, describing the EFCC cell as over crowded with detainees.
Imam, who
addressed reporters, noted that the picture, which went viral on social media
also showed that the alleged detainees were clamped together thereby portraying
congestion.
He said that
following a thorough investigation, the suspect was arrested along Ada George
Road in Port Harcourt.
The EFCC
boss warned young Nigerians to desist from using their online platform for fake
news, and promised to investigate the matter and ensure that justice was
served.
Imam said:
"On February 10, 2020, we were shocked by a tweet by one @TheRealDayne, a
blogger who published a picture of a crowded open cell, which he claimed belonged
to the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the EFCC. Swayed by emotions, gullible
Nigerians and many others across the world, descended on the Commission with
avalanche of scathing criticisms. It was a most embarrassing moment for us,
given that the ‘news' represented the very opposite of what the EFCC stands
for, as far as care of detainees is concerned.
“On February
12, 2020, I invited some journalists to view our detention facility with a view
to correcting the wrong impression, which the false tweet had created. On that
occasion, I vowed that we will track and arrest the mastermind of the malicious
tweet and bring him to justice. I am glad to inform you that the young man
behind the report, Dikeocha Chukwuebuka, has been arrested. He was picked up at
about 4pm on February, 26, at one of the new generation banks on Ada George
Road, Port Harcourt. His arrest is perfectly in sync with the slogan of the Commission
which is, 'EFCC' will get you, anywhere, anytime.”
Imam noted
that the EFCC would see the investigation to its logical conclusion and ensured
that justice was served in accordance with the law.
He seized
the opportunity to warn young Nigerian bloggers, desperate for online traffic,
to be a little more circumspect in using information which they had not
checked. “It is important that social media influencers do more fact checking
before publishing, to save the society from the ordeal of fake news,” said
Imam.
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