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Tag: Anti-corruption

  • Ex-Army Chief Bamaiyi slams Senate over stance on anti-corruption war

    Ex-Army Chief, Major-General Isaya Bamaiyi (rtd), yesterday expressed disappointment over the Senate’s stance on the war against corruption in the country.

    Bamaiyi told reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, at the sideline of 40th annual general meeting of the United Missionary Church for Africa (UMCA).

    He said: “Unfortunately, I am disappointed that those who are supposed to be fighting corruption are really against it. Look at what is happening at the Senate. It is not encouraging at all.

    “It appears that there some people in this country who do not want this corruption to be overcome since they are involved. I think this is an unfortunate issue, but I think the government is doing well and I want them to continue.”

    On the fight against insurgents, the retired army chief said: “The military command is doing very well in the fight against the resurgence of Boko Haram’s attacks. Unfortunately, insurgency is not a war or something you can fight directly. You really know where the enemy is. But you will agree with me that a lot of things have changed since the coming of the current administration. A least the Sambisa forest is no longer in total control of Boko Haram.

     Earlier, the UMCA President, Rev Moses Tswanya, urged “the government to do everything possible within the ambit of the law to clamp down on those found guilty of corruption. They should be dealt with without fear or favour.”

  • 4,000 sign up to anti-graft fight in Imo

    4,000 sign up to anti-graft fight in Imo

    The anti-corruption crusade gathers steam in Imo State where thousands of teachers and pupils have joined the battle. OKODILI NDIDI reports

    It is just as well that the anti-corruption fight is focusing on the young and their teachers, rather than on fat cats in high places. Jail them or make them cough up what they stole, high-profile crooks are unlikely to drop their old habits, but take the anti-corruption message to young people with impressionable minds, and you might win them over before they become monsters.

    That is what is happening in Imo State where no fewer than 4,000 volunteers comprising teachers and pupils of secondary and primary schools have signed the anti-corruption inducement form of a non-governmental organisation African Initiatives Against Corruption and Examination Malpractices (AIACEM).

    The NGO said it was committed to taking the crusade against corruption and exam malpractices to primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

    The NGO visited over 10 schools in Imo on the 2017 World Anti-Corruption Day to counsel students against corruption and examination malpractices.

    Addressing a large crowd of students at Christ the King International Anglican Secondary School on the topic “Catch Them Young,” the Director of the NGO, Mr. Frances Abioye described corruption as the greatest problem confronting the nation.

    He said corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation, adding that the NGO was willing to tackle and curtail it.

    He said, “It is unfortunate that even students at various levels do not know that cheating or examination malpractice is part of the corrupt practices in Nigeria. We are determined to change the story and we have begun the crusade with primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Imo, but soon we’ll carry the message across the country.”

    Abioye said that within two months of its formation the NGO has recorded over 3,000 volunteers in its Anti-Corruption Club (ACC). That figure will change after the Imo tallies.

    He hinted that most Nigerian graduates are no longer employable due to the fact that they depended on cheating and malpractices during their school days, adding, “I want to warn all of you in this seminar to shun corruption and exam malpractice because it can only lead you to doom”.

    Also addressing the students, Prof. Okey Okoro of the Department of Library Science, Imo State University disclosed that the only way to guarantee Nigeria’s future is by catching the younger generation.

    “If we don’t do what we are doing today,” he said, “this nation will still be prone to all kind of negativity. We must begin now to redirect the mindset of school children because they are the leaders of tomorrow but if we allow them to build themselves with cheating and malpractices, we cannot get it right again.”

    Okoro condemned all manner of examination malpractice, and commended the NGO for initiating the idea and championing the crusade against corruption and examination malpractices.

  • ‘Buhari’s anti-corruption war in order’

    Despite criticisms over the leadership style of President Muhammadu Buhari, especially with regard to his anti-corruption war, he has received unreserved support and commendation from Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu (MFR, OFR CFR).

    Addressing some members of Igbo community at his Abimbola Awoniyi Street, Victoria Island Lagos home whom he hosted, Chief Iwuanyanwu said he appreciated President Buhari’s anti-corruption programme.

    He said: “I agree with President Buhari’s submission that if corruption is not killed, it will kill Nigeria. This is because it’s become a terrible and widespread social problem that has bedeviled the country. It has become so endemic, and is eating fast into the fabric of the Nigerian society. If allowed to linger, the country will continue to experience stunted growth roundly.”

    Expressing his gratitude to the Igbo community in Lagos under the leadership of Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State, Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu (JP) for organising a solidarity session to mark the Golden Jubilee of Lagos State as a geographical entity, the Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo said he was confronted by a very solemn moment that will remain sublime in his life.

    Regretting that he was not present at the event to be decorated by the community as planned due to flight cancellations by the authorities of British Airways, Chief Iwuanyanwu commended the Igbo community for coming to honour him in his residence.

    “Ordinarily, some people will say we invited him and he didn’t come, so why should we bother ourselves honouring his invitation? But you have taken the pains to come to see me in my house.  This is the hallmark of love.  This shows you appreciate me. l am very grateful to you,” he said.

    Continuing, Chief Iwuanyanwu, who was the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Calabar said: “I have spent a lot of my time serving Igbo and Nigeria. I thank God for the gifts with which l enhance the cause of humanity and for which l am recognised and honoured.

    “Without sounding immodest, l am fortunate than some people, because there are people who served and will not be recognised and honoured.

    “I have been a champion of youth development. I believe that human capital development should be the best investment.

    “In the circumstances, l have trained over 3, 000 youths in various universities. That could be why youth groups all over the country and beyond the shores of the country have honoured me as their patron. I try the much l can to enhance humanity and leave the rest to God.

    “Your honour on me today is a thing l will always remember. It means that the services l rendered to Ndigbo are not in vain. l feel proud for the honour you bestowed on me today.  It will spur me to service my people more. While l am still alive, l will continue to do my best for the Igbo, l will continue to do my best for Nigeria and l will continue to do my best for humanity.”

    Speaking earlier, Eze Nwachukwu said the Igbo Community in Lagos State considered Chief Iwuanyanwu as one of the pillars in Igbo land and in Nigeria, adding that his contributions to the socio-economic and political development of Igbo land in particular and Nigeria in general cannot be ignored, hence the honour bestowed on him.

    He said: “Chief Iwuanyanwu, propelled by the virtues of hard work, honesty and unalloyed faith in God, has attained an enviable height as a successful role model, a political colossus and industrial giant, a dedicated soldier of Christ, a professional icon of superlative class, a pace-setter, an unprecedented philanthropist, a champion of youth development and empowerment, a detribalised Nigerian patriot and an epitome of integrity.”

    Contributing, the member representing Oshodi/Isolo 11 State Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. (Sir) Jude Emeka Idimogu (KSM) who described Chief Iwuanyanwu as a living legend of our time said Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo has blazed the entire political landscape like a legend.

    He noted that Iwuanyanwu is an inspiration to the young generation of politicians. His philosophy that love is the greatest thing in the world and it can overcome hate, greed and rancour is what the country needs at the moment when she seems to be at a crossroads.

    He prayed God to grant him long life so that “those of us who are up-and-coming will still learn more from him.”

  • The new anti-corruption crusaders

    When the cat is abroad, the rats take charge of the homestead”.

    Dino Melaye, the Kogi West “Great Motivator of Students’, ‘Icon of Good Leadership’ and a man who freely celebrates his audacity, never does anything in half measures. We cannot easily forget the celebration of his victory over Sahara Reporters, his estranged friends that had accused him of parading himself in borrowed robes by laying claim to chain of degrees from ABU and other ivy universities across the globe. When the ethics committee of his Senate finally ruled he indeed obtain a third class degree in geography from ABU Zaria after other foreign universities had debunked his claim, he appeared in the Senate adorning a Ph.D academic gown as if ‘the cloak makes the monk’.

    Neither can one forget Melaye’s obsession with exotic cars.

    The launching of his book ‘Antidote for Corruption-the Nigeria story’, four days ago in Abuja was no exception. He had in attendance, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Yakubu Dogara, the House or Representative Speaker and the former First Lady, Patience Jonathan. There were also Anyim Pius Anyim, former Senate President and the erstwhile secretary to Jonathan and Dr. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Productivity all of whom share something with their chief host and can best be described as victims of what Saraki has dismissed as Buhari’s misplaced war on corruption.

    Let us start with Ngige. He was as incumbent governor of Anambra State during President Obasanjo’s first term (1999-2003} kidnapped and locked up like a common criminal. His godfather, Chris Uba, a chieftain of PDP in Anambra had alleged Ngige reneged on his promise to share Anambra State monthly allocation with those who helped him to rig the election. He further alleged Ngige took an oath before the Okija shrine to abide with the deal.

    Patience Jonathan is in court trying to lay claim to some $15m traced to some accounts EFCC has asked her to disclose to the courts the sources the funds since she was only a civil servant and President’s spouse. Besides, she has been asked to explain the sources of the funding of some multi-billion properties and hotels linked to her in Abuja and Bayelsa.

    Then there was the Speaker Dogara who according to suspended  former chairman, Appropriation Committee Abdulmumin Jibrin  not only allegedly diverted a federal government water project to his farm but also allegedly blackmailed an unnamed construction company to work on his Asokoro new mansion.”  Jibrin’s suspension by the House has deprived the Speaker the opportunity of defending his honour. As for Anyim Pius Anyim, he was recently accused of ‘tricking President Jonathan to sign fraudulent multibillion-dollar Abuja Centenary Housing deal’.

    Of course, there was Saraki himself, the biggest masquerade once described by Melaye as the  “irremovable president of the Nigerian Senate”, “fighting pervasive corruption and incompetence in the Customs” on “behalf of the poor masses, the talakawas and the mekunus.”  It was his honour to dismiss Buhari’s anti-corruption war and propose 11 new approaches to fighting corruption.

    Well, with the new sheriff out of  town, confined  by illness to his sick bed in far way Great Britain, I think the choice of who is best suited to lead the new crusade between acting President Osinbajo and Saraki, is very clear. The former who’s only known weapon as a pastor is fervent prayers and perhaps some logic as a university professor which are in adequate as tools for political warfare in the murky water of Nigerian politics cannot be considered a match to Saraki, a veteran of many wars in the Nigerian zero-sum struggle for power. Let us look at a few examples.

    Saraki effortlessly shamed all the detractors that in 1990 accused him of involvement in an N9b fraud against Societe General, a bank in which his father had controlling shares in Nigeria. Then he survived Erastus Akingbola who, alleged Saraki’s multi-billion naira deals contributed to the collapse of his bank. Saraki similarly survived the hysteria of the people of Kwara, over the collapse of their Trade Bank during his tenure as governor.

    Then on the strength of ‘several petitions from various groups including  ‘Kwara Freedom Network’, all bordering on abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering,  Saraki was again  dragged before the Code Of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution over “13 counts of false and anticipatory asset declaration. “. Michael Wetkas, a detective with EFCC told the tribunal how Saraki as governor allegedly diverted Kwara State government funds to pay loans he took to buy properties from Presidential Implementation Committee on Government Properties and some that were bought from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Now EFCC‘s case seems to be in tatters as the records of those transactions have been reported lost in a fire outbreak in the affected banks.

    Wetkas also told the tribunal that ‘Saraki collected salary as the governor of Kwara State for about four years after completing his second term in 2011’. But EFCC and Saraki detractors were shamed with the testimony of the Secretary to the Kwara State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, who insisted Saraki was only collecting a pension of N578, 188.00 which increased to N1, 239,493.94 monthly from October, 2014 as other past governors in the country.

    Then an offshore dimension was introduced.  A German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, identified  four assets: Sandon Development Limited, a vehicle used in acquiring a property on 8 Whittaker Street, Belgravia, London, in 2012;  Girol Properties Ltd, which was registered on August 25, 2004 (a year after Mrs. Saraki’s husband became governor of Kwara) in the British Virgin Island (BVI); Landfield International Developments Ltd., registered in the British Virgin Islands on April 8, 2014, with  Mrs. Saraki as sole shareholder; and Longmeadow Holdings Limited.   Saraki has told Nigerians that all the properties belong to his wife and her famous family. His detractors are yet to tell us if it is a crime to be married to a rich and famous family. Shame to all of you, Saraki’s detractors.

    Now let us turn to all those  who have been raising false alarm claiming the war on corruption cannot be fought without Buhari and Magu starting with Itse Sagay who says  “Since Nuhu Ribadu left, we have not had a man with such sterling qualities as Ibrahim Magu”, or Palladium, who says “those who rejected him for the second time  knew he was the right man for the job, they knew they were putting down a public figure who seemed to have prepared for this job all his life, they knew it would be difficult to find someone so imbued with his kind type of commitment”.

    I think with the dazzling performance of Saraki and his new anti-corruption crusaders four days ago, they must swallow their words. Saraki has on behalf of his group canvassed not only for the dumping of Buhari’s approach which he claims was in favour of punishment rather than deterrence, but  also proffers a replacement which is aimed at ‘’Strengthening  accountability, limiting discretion in public spending and promoting  greater  openness”.

    Dear compatriots, victims of sardonic humour, behold Bukola Saraki, Dino Melaye, Yakubu Dogara, Patience Jonathan, Anyim Pius Anyim, our new anti-corruption crusaders.

  • Explaining the Nigerian legislature’s reticence in passing anti-corruption laws

    But Nigerians are not amused at all and many have expressed the wish that these people should just, one day, pack and go to their various homes or that the 8th Assembly, the Senate in particular, should be the very last this country will have. 

    Three weeks before the first three judges were arrested for corruption, I was talking to a fairly senior retired public officer who put things this way, ‘The judiciary is gone, the national assembly is gone, the military is sunk and the civil service was gone before them; God save Nigeria’. I said a loud Amen,” -Former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the First Akintola Williams annual lecture in Lagos.

    In  its first-ever engagement with  the wave-making, whistleblower  anti-corruption  tool, the ever bungling Nigeria Police so messed up it substantially detracted  from the efficacy, and the trust Nigerians have come to have in the  newly introduced  method. No thanks to its having now returned, in full, all the documents, monies etc, it took away from the home of Senator Danjuma Goje.  Had the more experienced EFCC handled the raid, it certainly would not have removed anything beside monies and the senate would not have had the temerity to attempt to lie to Nigerians that only the Chairman of its Budget committee had all documents relating to the 1917 budget still under its consideration, a full three months after its submission by President Muhammadu Buhari.  If the police were not such a fumbling organisation, or the presidency unnecessarily panicky and  succumbing too easily to a Senate you pray would be the very last in the country, only  Goje’s laptop, minus the incriminating ‘file containing write-ups on how a former governor plotted the assassination of Sheik Jafaru’, should have been released to the senator. It is so shameful that the police, after severally seeing the entire senate emptied, following its President to court, would not know that its members would do anything to extricate Goje from what could eventually turn out problematic as he must have informed, at least the leadership, about the Sheik Jafaru angle. To know that, and still collapse as it did, says so much about the Nigeria police. But having so easily submitted itself to infamy, the matter should not end there. Senate should use the occasion to teach the police a lesson or two about efficient handling of issues, even if it hadn’t demonstrated any such itself, just as Senator Goje should press charges of aggravated disequilibrium (whatever that translates to in law).

    I digress.

    Never  a man to dodge, hide his feelings, or distinguish between Jew or Gentile  in his ever  withering comments  on various  areas of our body politic, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has  been more than generous in  presenting  the  Nigerian legislature to, not only Nigerians, but the world at large. To confirm this claim, we would quote him at some length in this piece.

    But that will be a little later.

    While the senate moved rapidly to pass its amendments to the laws establishing the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Bureau, and it is now furiously working to pass its Magna Carta’ equivalent (Magna Carta Libertatum -”the Great Charter of the Liberties, agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215, which is regarded as one of the most famous documents in world history) – a bill to abolish tribal marks, it is sitting coolly, not only on the 2017 budget, but on the two most important laws necessary to add teeth to the Buhari government’s anti-corruption war. First amongst these is the bill seeking the establishment of a special anti-corruption court to try serious crimes, including corruption cases. The Special Crimes Bill 2016, drafted by the Sagay-led Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, is intended to provide for the establishment of a Special Crimes Court as a superior court of record to allow for speedy trials of economic and financial crimes, terrorism, money laundering and corruption offences and other related matters”.

    The other is the Whistle Blower bill. Although the federal government put the whistleblower policy in place in December 2016 to expose fraud in the country, and has thereby, already raked in billions of naira, the policy remains a stop gap, at best, as the legislature is yet to pass the enabling   Whistleblower Protection Bill which will protect those exposing corruption. Without this in place, the policy becomes stymied as a whistle blower faces far too many risks which do not exclude even assassination. Commentator after commentator on both radio and television continue to flagellate the Buhari government on this lacuna as if the executive would transmute to the law making arm of the government. Sponsored by my dear sister, and the senator representing Ekiti South, Senator Biodun Olujimi,the bill passed second reading as far back as October, 2016 and you won’t but wonder if the delay exists because senate also wants  a look in.

    When, therefore, the legislature hamstrings, rather than facilitate, or in fact, fast track, the anti corruption war of this government, why would any rational person doubt former President Olusegun Obasanjo when he says of the national assembly: ”The national assembly cabal of today is worse than any cabal that anybody may find anywhere in our national governance system at any time. Members of the national assembly pay themselves allowances for staff and offices they do not have or maintain. Once you are a member, you are co-opted and your mouth is stuffed with rottenness and corruption that you cannot opt out as you go home with not less than N15 million a month for a senator and N10 million a month for a member of the house of representatives. The national assembly is a den of corruption by a gang of unarmed robbers. Most of them conduct themselves and believe that they are not answerable to anybody. They are blatant in their misbehaviour, cavalier in their misconduct and arrogant in the misuse of parliamentary immunity as a shield against reprisals for their irresponsible acts of malfeasance and/or outright banditry.” When the former president says the above, it should be remembered that his government was the first to take some national assembly members to court for budget padding.

    But he goes further: Referring to the Hon Jibrin suspension from the House over his whistle blowing, he said: “Ganging up to intimidate and threaten the life of whistle blower is deplorable and undemocratic. What of the so-called constituency projects which is a veritable source of corruption? These constituency projects are spread over the budget for members of the national assembly for which they are the initiators and the contractors directly or by proxy and money would be fully drawn with the project only partially executed or not executed at all.”

    It should now be crystal clear that asking the national assembly to fast track the passage of these much needed laws is like asking the members to self-criminalise. But Nigerians are not amused at all and many have expressed the wish that these people should just, one day, pack and go to their various homes or that the 8th Assembly, the Senate in particular, should be the very last this country will have. So traumatised are Nigerians over this arm of government that  some have canvassed a ‘Storming of the Bastille’, as I have done twice on these pages and many have said Nigerians should frontally go to confront the police by occupying the senate which has proved most unhelpful. It has not, for instance, out of sympathy for Nigerians going through a hellish recession, decided to slash a penny off its humongous monthly take homes nor has its members receiving pension from states whilst receiving salaries been morally challenged to say, no more. So beyond shame is this national assembly that its members remain completely unruffled, even as its leadership has not successfully explained off the salacious allegations about the corrupt housing deals trailing them. If former President Obasanjo, a patriot of no mean repute, wats and all, could say these things about the national assembly, I think that, without a scintilla of doubt, the time has come for Nigerians to opt for a unicameral system of legislature. The senate is, and will forever  remain an unnecessary waste of national resources, whose member can have all the time in the world, to stand in front of a village orchestra to sing ludicrous songs, intending to put a state governor and named political opponents into ridicule because of  his own self-inflicted travails.

    Nigerians may, forever, wonder to what level they won’t denigrate this otherwise hallowed chamber.

  • Obasanjo calls for spiritual approach to anti-corruption campaign

    Obasanjo calls for spiritual approach to anti-corruption campaign

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday advocated a spiritual approach to the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria, calling on the church to wield its influence against the menace.

    Obasanjo made the call in Abeokuta at the 2017 Convention Lecture of the Victory Life Bible Church International.

    He spoke on the theme: “The Role of the Church in the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria.”

    The former president described the church as an important and influential institution with a pivotal role in curbing and eradicating corruption in Nigeria.

    He described the anti-corruption war in Nigeria as “a fight for the soul of the nation.’’

    Obasanjo said successive governments in Nigeria had tried to contain corruption through enactment of laws and enforcement of integrity systems with a slow pace of success.

    “Legislations alone are not enough as they are often breached by those who make them and those who should implement them.

    “Our main problems are moral, ethical, attitudinal failure and disorientation.

    “The church is an institution that provides the moral and ethical standards for us as believers.

    “Man alone by himself cannot get rid of corruption from the world, he needs the assistance of God.

    “Here must come the society and the church with the spirit of God to work together to undo the harm that man has done and continue to do to the perfect work of God on earth,’’ he said.

    The elder statesman, however, stressed that the anti-corruption crusade must first be fought within the church through ridding itself of the menace before extending it to the larger society.

    “The church needs to clear its augean stable.

    “The temple of God must be cleanest to restore the holiness of the church.

    “Our present day money changers and merchants. Must be chased out of the church.

    “The pulpit must be used to teach and preach righteous and honest living.

    “To preach that one can acquire wealth without labour is not only deceitful, but also a call to corruption.

    “We must be careful in believing and celebrating every testimony of miraculous blessing otherwise we end up celeberating corruption.

    “The behaviour of some of our men of God leaves much to be desired.

    “They not only celebrate but venerate those whose sources of wealth are questionable.

    “They accept gifts (offerings) from just anybody without asking questions giving the impression that anything is acceptable in the house of God,” he said.

    He called on Christian leaders to sanitise the church for effective anti-corruption crusade.

    The former president, who recalled that the church played an important role in the development of Nigeria, noted that the nation had come to another historic juncture requiring the church to play a leading role.

    “The role must be played in praying, preaching and teaching.

    “This is a period of moral and ethical rebirth and the church as an agent of socialisation must embark on moral re-armament for the church and for the nation.

  • Anti-corruption war: Things are changing under Magu, says Oshiomhole

    Anti-corruption war: Things are changing under Magu, says Oshiomhole

    A former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday said things are changing in the war against graft under the leadership of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

    He said Magu’s job is the most difficult and challenging job in the country but should be supported.

    He said contrary to insinuations, Magu was not selective in the way he is waging war against corruption.

    He also said there was nothing wrong with the media trial of corrupt suspects in the country.

    Oshiomhole , who  spoke  at the 1st National Anti-Corruption Stakeholder’s Summit at the EFCC Academy  in Karu, Abuja, also backed the Nigeria Customs Service on the enforcement of payment of duties on imported goods.

    The theme of the workshop was  ‘Building National Anti-Corruption Consensus in a Multi-Agency’.

    He  said:  “From what I have seen sir, you have the most difficult and challenging job in this country today; more challenging than the job of a governor, the job of a President, the job of a Senate President or any other person because those ones are clearly defined and the values are there but this one is really problematic.

    “In the past, we were made to believe that you could not probe the armed forces because of security reasons because they could overthrow so army accounts were never touched.

    “But we are beginning to see changes. Today, even former service chiefs are being made to account for the money that was meant for insurgency was diverted and kept in pit latrines.”

    Oshiomhole insisted that there was nothing wrong with media trial of suspects.

    He said: “I can see both people in opposition and government being made to give account. Something is changing but I see people who say corruption should not be fought in this manner. They say there is too much newspaper trial.

    “There is a purpose for the media such that as you are trying to hide, somebody’s business is to expose because if it is not exposed, it becomes a matter for boardroom conversation and rumours for the rest of society. I

    “I am convinced sir that under your leadership, things are changing. We just need to see how to sustain that and as you can see, there is no particular segment that can be completely said to be insulated.”

    Regarding the enforcement on payment of duties, Oshiomhole said as long as there is a law in place that duty should be paid, the  Service must go ahead with the  enforcement.

    He added: “When I was governor, I went to the Villa to visit a former President and many governors were there. And I said look at us, we have all made laws about contrabands and somehow all of us governors and Presidents and Vice-Presidents and ministers sitting here are wearing contraband.

    “And I said to the President, if we cannot enforce a law, don’t make it. If we must make the law, it must be enforced because somehow we have been able to turn our country into a duty-free country.”

    In spite of the fact that N70million has been frozen in his account, a  human rights lawyer, Mr. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), described Magu as a “great man”.

    He commended the EFCC for inviting him to the summit  despite  his disagreement  with the anti-graft agency on the  investigation of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.

    The senior advocate, who had last week, challenged Magu’s legitimacy as the acting Chairman of the EFCC following his rejection by the Senate, said he had nothing against Magu as he had known the EFCC boss since 1997.

    He said: “When I received the invitation to come for this summit, I was quite intrigued. I said to myself that Magu’s EFCC which had just seized my money from a court ordered unfrozen account is involving me. I said this man has a very large heart and I must attend it.

    “Let me make this point clear, I don’t discuss individuals, I discuss institutions; that is why I believe that our institutions should be strengthened and not individuals. I have known Magu and Lamorde since 1997/1998/1999 during the failed bank tribunals and these are great men.

    “These are great men with integrity. So, when we disagree, it is simply on how to move the nation forward. It has nothing to do with individuals or personalities. I still believe that he is a great man and a man of integrity.”

    He, however, questioned the methods being employed by the commission regarding the fight against corruption.

    Ozekhome joked that he would continue to defeat the EFCC in court because the problem the commission had was its shoddy method of investigation and not the judiciary.

    He disagreed with Oshiomhole regarding the effectiveness of ‘media trials’.

    Ozekhome said media trial was flawed as it had a way of presenting a person as already guilty even before being taken to court.

    He also accused the commission of being selective in its fight against corruption and dared the EFCC to arrest just one of Buhari’s men to convince Nigerians that it was not being selective.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, said there was a need for the EFCC to respect the rule of law while carrying out investigations.

    Utazi said it was wrong of the EFCC to detain suspects for long periods with the aim of gathering evidence, adding that media trial was prejudicial and must be stopped.

    He added that there was a need for the commission to inform the legislative of its activities as regards recovery of funds and seizure of assets as this would promote transparency.”

     

  • Anti-corruption fight at a crossroads   

    SIR: The non-confirmation of Magu erodes the anti-corruption credibility of President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime. There appears to be some infighting by some unseen forces in the drama that is playing out. The current situation seems to be giving an unrestrained license for the corrupt elite to swamp the system.

    We are at a crossroads as far as the war against corruption is concerned and we expect Mr. President to rise up to the challenge and assert himself. We know that when you fight corruption, corruption fights back. Mr. President should take some concrete steps to show that he oversees the Presidency and not some cabal.

    The seeming inability of the organs within the Presidency to work together exposes a problem of coordination amongst the anti-corruption agencies. These agencies ought to be working together and not to be promoting unhealthy rivalry amongst themselves.

    We believe that there is a strong need for transparency and accountability around asset recovery in Nigeria. Nigerians want to be briefed regularly as to how much or what was recovered and how recovered assets are being managed or disposed of. It must be seen to be re-ploughed in a way that it benefits the victims of corruption. This is important so as to give Nigerians a sense of belonging and clarity in the spirit of the recently signed Open Governance Partnership (OGP).

    This fight against corruption is not about the person of Magu. But what is happening around his non-confirmation is sending a very wrong signal about the country’s war on corruption. The nation’s anti-corruption fight is under threat and we want President Buhari to see it from our lens.

     

    • David Ugolor

  • ‘Join Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade’

    A group, the Sustainable Nigerian Movement (SNIM) has called on Nigerians to team up with President Muhammadu Buhari in the fight against sleaze.

    The National Leader of SNIM, Arimoro Kayode stated this during a news briefing in Abuja.

    Kayode said that corruption will continue to plague the country if well-meaning Nigerians just sit and watch those who have hijacked the fight for their selfish gains to continue to be the driving force of the society.

    He said that the menace seems to be thriving in spite of the Federal Government’s efforts to  fight corruption, explaining that none has been convicted of corruption, even though it is glaring that most of the officials accused of corruption are truly guilty of it.

    He added that sitting allowances of Senators and House of Representatives members should be reduced and paid once after passing three bills that affect the lives of the citizens positively in order to reduce the effect of the present economic downturn.

    He said, “We have noticed that the government’s efforts in reducing corruption have been hijacked by those that should indeed protect the people as seen in the bills the Senate passed to alter the workings of the CCT and CCB, and the action against the whistle blower Hon Jibrin in the lower chamber.

    “The judiciary and the legislative arm have formed a cartel which ensures that the anti-corruption war remains a charade unless those who truly own the power do the needful.

    “We demand that sitting allowances of Senators and House of representatives shall only be paid for passing bills that affect the lives of citizens positively after three results,” he said

    The group also called for an end to the ethno religious crisis ravaging the country, saying they are politically motivated to distract Nigerians.

    “The effect of corruption cannot be separated from the actions of the insurgents, the killing of innocent individuals in the name of religion, the continuous suffering of the IDP’s despite funds being released to take care of them, lack of electricity and high inflation,” he said

    He said that Nigerians have paid more for petrol, diesel, electricity, school fees, healthcare without any corresponding increase in earnings of the people.

    “The only way out is for the people to demand accountability. We should not be deceived by certain plays that come around to us as distraction from what is facing us, “he said.

  • UN urges FG to focus on corruption prevention

    UN urges FG to focus on corruption prevention

    Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Cristina Albertin, has urged the Federal Government to focus more on prevention corruption in its fight against the scourge.

    Speaking during the National Workshop on Corruption prevention for Anti-Corruption Agencies in Nigeria funded by the European Union under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) in Calabar on Monday, she said it was also pertinent to involve the private sector in the fight against corruption.

    “I think there is a solid foundation for anti-corruption work in Nigeria because there are lots of institutions that work on anti-corruption. I think focus has been very much on law enforcement and criminal justice response, and I think it is time to give more time to the prevention of corruption. The war on corruption shall also involve the private sector, especially on public procurement that uses private sector. And it also has to deal with transparency and accountability of budgets in the involvement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) that can help in setting up transparency measures.

    “We are hosting the workshop together with anti-corruption agencies on corruption prevention and it is happening within a project that we have with the government of Nigeria, the European Union and UNODC.

    “UNODC is providing comprehensive assistance to 14 agencies in Nigeria on anti-corruption in the framework of the United Nations Convention against corruption. That is a convention that sets out a comprehensive set of measures against corruption, which includes criminalization, and penalization of corrupt offences.

    “We render assistance to Nigerian Government in a series of areas in line with our mandate under this regard to drug control, anti-human trafficking, combatting smuggling of migrants, counter terrorism, HIV prevention and prevention of corruption,” she said.