Undeterred, Peter Akah and Mama Pee vow to speak out despite EFCC interrogation

Following a second round of questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, activists Peter Akah and Precious Oruche, also known as Mama Pee, declared on Thursday that they would not be silenced in their criticism of the government, despite allegations of naira abuse.

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Their statement was made in a video posted on Akah's X handle, shortly after leaving the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where they reaffirmed their commitment to speaking out against "poor governance" and expressed their continued support for Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 polls.

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Akah explained that he and Mama Pee had initially rescheduled their appointment with the EFCC, honouring the invitation on Wednesday, and were released around midnight before returning for further questioning on Thursday.

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According to Akah, they had initially believed the EFCC's invitation was related to allegations surrounding a presidential "fake agency" or other issues, but were informed that investigators wanted clarification on allegations of naira abuse.

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In the video, Akah stated that they had been asked to return to the EFCC on Thursday, after an extensive interrogation the previous day, and that they had provided clarification that they did not abuse the naira.

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The activists expressed gratitude to Nigerians who had expressed concern for their welfare, as well as their lawyers, Inibehe Effiong and Prof. Sam Amadi, for providing legal representation, with Akah also thanking some EFCC officials.

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Akah insisted that the EFCC invitation would not deter them from criticising the government, stating "We will never be silenced. We will never be intimidated into silence."

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He also criticised President Bola Tinubu's administration, describing it as a "fatal and hopeless failure", and reaffirmed his support for Obi ahead of the 2027 general election, declaring "And in 2027, I am unapologetically Obedient. My vote, campaign and support are for Mr Peter Gregory Obi."

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Akah urged the government to focus on addressing insecurity rather than targeting critics, saying "Planning to harm us is a waste of plan. Use that time to plan to fix the country and protect lives."

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Mama Pee also urged Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the next general election, stating "The most important thing you can do for us and this country is to go and get your PVC. Don’t just vote wisely, you need to vote Peter Obi."

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She added that despite threats and intimidation, the activists would remain resolute in demanding better governance, saying "What you see here today is just a tip of the iceberg of what we go through daily. But we are not deterred. We are resilient."

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The activists' lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, had previously stated that the investigation relates to allegations of naira abuse, and that his clients maintained that the money referenced in the allegations consisted of props used for entertainment rather than genuine naira notes.

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The EFCC has not issued a public statement on the outcome of the investigation, which saw the activists honour the commission's invitation on Wednesday and return on Thursday to continue the investigation.