by Eze Eluchie
Only in
Nigeria.
Whilst the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has failed, despite repeated requests
under the Freedom of Information Act and several summons to the National
Assembly, to account for monies it ‘recovered’ and or seized from suspects
in its execution of its statutory ‘anti-corruption’ mandate, the leadership of
the agency continues to pretend to be tackling corruption by embarking on
witch-hunting of perceived political opponents of the incumbent President or
members of the opposition political party in Nigeria.
Why is the interim
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, making mockery of himself and his office by pretending to be investigating ‘arms deals’ under the immediate past
administration when he has chosen to play ostrich over the fraud perpetuated by
his predecessor in office, Ibrahim Lamurde, who has since escaped from Nigeria
under the pretext of going for ‘medical treatment’?
The shamelessness
inherent in the much publicized zeal with which the EFCC under Mr. Magu’s
interim leadership is probing into transactions of the Goodluck Jonathan
administration, deliberately blinding itself to its own rot, monumental frauds
that had already been prosecuted on by foreign authorities (such as the multi-million
Dollar Halliburton scandal) and hideous graft by members of ruling junta in
Nigeria, is troubling. Such lack of scruples, in the much touted ‘war against
corruption’ of the Buhari junta, can only mean that a blind eye will be turned
to monumental fleecing of the national treasury.
In addition
to my earlier stance that the EFCC be scrapped, it is important for the sake of
posterity that the various characters who have manned this outfit be
exhaustively probed and if found wanting, prosecuted and punished in a spectacular fashion. Corruption
has diminished Nigeria and Nigerians. Those charged with responsibility for national
anti-graft efforts who have manipulated the process to their selfish ends and
or deepened the corruption monster in Nigeria should be made to account for the
pains they have inflicted and or increased.
Mr. Ibrahim
Magu, resolve the ‘mystery’ surrounding the over One Trillion Naira (over US$ 5 Billion) in recovered monies and properties recovered by the Economic and Financial
Crimes which has yet remained unaccounted for, before any pretense at ‘tackling
corruption’.
Picture: Logo of
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its present
acting Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ibrahim Magu (center) and the
former CEO who has absconded from Nigeria, Ibrahim Lamurde.
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