The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it forcefully dispersed supporters and protesters at its headquarters in Abuja on Monday with tear gas after their refusal to leave the venue following the arrival of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Supporters had accompanied Mr El-Rufai, who honoured the EFCC’s invitation over alleged mismanagement of public funds during his eight-year tenure as the Kaduna governor.

Videos on social media showed demonstrations in an atmosphere filled with tear gas fumes at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters.

When contacted by Peoples Gazette, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale explained that the protesters who had converged at the headquarters had been addressed but refused to leave.

“The protesters who came to the EFCC headquarters came in the exercise of their lawful constitutional right; I addressed them. They came in support. They said El-Rufai should make himself accountable. We addressed them. After addressing them, what is the next thing to do? They are supposed to go.

“Then, as they were there, El-Rufai came in a long convoy. And we said it’s only El-Rufai that was invited, and that they should go back. But they resisted all our efforts to let them get back. So in law enforcement, when you have such a situation, you have to disperse them.

“There is nothing unusual about that. What is unusual about a crowd that is tampering with your lawful processes and procedures in the exercise of your duty in your environment?” the spokesman stated.

He, however, confirmed that the former Kaduna State governor was still in the anti-graft agency’s custody as of the time of the report.

“Of course, they are gone now. Everywhere is calm now. El-Rufai is here, he is facing our interrogation,” Mr Oyewale said.

Mr El-Rufai’s supporters, who converged at the entryway to the anti-graft agency’s headquarters, held placards with inscriptions such as “We stand with El-Rufai. We stand for law” and “El-Rufai is a citizen, not a subject.”

“We will come back when it clears. We will come back,” a supporter of the ex-governor said in one of the videos shared online.

At the scene, Mr El-Rufai’s supporters accused the EFCC of dispersing and disallowing them from accessing the commission while permitting a rival protesting group to gather near its premises.

The counter-protest group, under the aegis of the Mega National Movement for Good Governance, was holding banners with inscriptions like “El-Rufai cannot hide behind politics; let the law catch up” and “Answer the charge, El-Rufai.”

Addressing journalists at the gathering, a member of the counter group, Muhammad Abdullahi, urged the EFCC to promptly conduct a thorough, evidence-based investigation without prejudice or favour.

“If those who served in that administration are subjecting themselves to due process, it is only proper that the former governor does the same without politicising the process,” he said.