The Nation Newspaper

Tag: corruption

  • Cracking corruption

    The hammer, which recently fell on seven directors and staff of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), have continued to  generated controversy in the system.

    It is also threatening to heat up the already not too cordial relationship between the Presidency and the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

    Seven NEMA staff, including the Director of Finance and Accounts, Akinbola Hakeem Gbolahan; Ag. Director, Special Duties, Mr. Umesi Emenike;  Director, Risk Reduction, Mallam Alhassan Nuhu; Pilot in-charge Air Ambulance and Aviation Unit, Mr. Mamman Ali Ibrahim; the Chief Maintenance Officer, Mr. Ganiyu Yunusa Deji; and the Director of Welfare, Mr. Kanar Mohammed, were suspended over corruption allegations.

    While the suspension was based on yet to be concluded investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to probably save their necks the staff involved took the case to the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, chaired by Honorable Isa Ali.

    While some Nigerians have wondered if the committee had a special interest in the matter for delving into the case already being handled by the EFCC, others also see the move as corruption fighting back.

    The controversy that followed has   also raised the question whether the decision by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo led Governing Board of NEMA to suspend the seven directors and staff was an act of victimization or purely in the interest of the nation.

    EFCC investigations before the suspension revealed that the seven directors and staff have soiled their hands and really have cases to answer.

    Allegations against them included misappropriation of public funds, frivolous claims of personal emoluments and conspiracy with the other officials to short-change the Federal Government of due revenues, among others.

    The suspended Director of Finance and Accounts, Akinbola Hakeem Gbolahan is accused of maintaining many bank accounts with questionable transactions.

    His GTBank account was said to have suspicious deposits totaling N27, 650,000 including over £37,000 and $120,000 found in his domiciliary accounts. His Naira account is said to have several suspicious deposits from NEMA account in excess of N50 million.

    For the Ag. Director of Special Duties, Mr Umesi Emenike, the investigation showed that funds meant for programmes and maintenance of the South-South Zone operations of NEMA under his supervision were paid directly into his 14 personal accounts instead of paying into the Zonal Office Account.

    The investigations have also shown that he has freely withdrawn cash, electronic transfers or through ATM Machines, without any evidence of using them for NEMA activities.

    His subordinate, the Zonal Accountant was also said to have made several cash lodgements into the personal account of Mr. Emenike.

    About N238, 000,000 was so far been traced from NEMA directly to Mr. Emenike’s personal accounts, which were placed in fixed deposits and used freely by the Ag. Director. It also showed that the Director of Risk Reduction, Mr Alhassan Nuhu, maintained 5 bank accounts which were apparently used as conduits to receive and distribute money from NEMA coffers.

    Mr. Nuhu, so far, according to the investigation, has not been able to give satisfactory account of the transactions, including NEMA Funds moving through him to a company called Dambo Farms Limited. The Pilot of NEMA’s Air Ambulance, Mamman Ali Ibrahim, is accused of commercialising both the NEMA Air Ambulance and Helicopter.

    Report also showed that EFCC traced at least N285 million to the pilot, of which only N63 million was paid to the Accountant General’s Office and another N11 million paid to NEMA, while the balance could not be accounted for.

    The investigation further showed that some of the money was channeled to his family members through his company, Aerocare West Africa Limited, while others in foreign exchange were directly traced to the former DG NEMA, Mr. Sani Sidi’s accounts.

    Indicting the Chief Maintenance Officer; Mr. Ganiyu Yunusa Deji who was in charge of fuel supplies to NEMA generators, the investigation showed that he has been receiving regular returns into his personal account from the supplier, Rekimat Global Resource Limited.

    It also discovered that the fuel that used to last for one week now lasts for more than a month since Mr. Ganiyu Yunusa was suspended.

    For Kanar Mohammed, the Director of Welfare, it was alleged  that his six bank accounts were found to be replete with NEMA funds, including a N214 million meant for displaced traditional rulers in the North East, N184 million paid by him to one Crystal Chambers and N29.5 million paid by him to a former Minister, Abdul Bulama.

    The investigation also revealed that the former NEMA DG, Sani Sidi, maintained 20 different accounts in various banks with suspicious deposits amounting to 164,000 US Dollars in his domiciliary account at Standard Chartered Bank alone, all made within 18 months, between January 2014 and June 2015. The report also showed that he had up to £58,000 in his Pound Sterling Account.

    For those who faulted the action of the Vice President to suspend the staff, the current NEMA DG, Mustapha Maihaja, said: “By the provision of the Act, the relevant section of the NEMA Act that allows the Governing Council to superintend the affairs of the Agency is Section 7(10).

    “The Council shall have the power to (a) manage and superintend the affairs of the Agency. (b) subject to the provisions of this Act….and function of the agency

    “(c) for the term and condition of service including remuneration of the employees of the Agency after consultation with the Federal Civil Service Commission, and do such other things which in the opinion of the Agency are necessary to ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the Agency.” he stated

    The Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, had claimed that the suspension recommendation was made by the Commission in its interim report of its investigation.

    He said “We received a petition in December 2017 and we went into the investigation proper. At a level, an interim position was provided and that those whose evidence of wrong doing has been established to be suspended in order not to hinder the investigation.

    “Investigation didn’t just get to suspension, it was a process, and our recommendation  was to maintain the integrity of the investigation and prejudice against it. Their case hasn’t been determined yet, they’ll be reinstated if nothing is found agains them at the end of the day” he said

    The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, also backed the suspension of the seven directors and staff, stressing that it was in line with the public service rules.

    She said “Under Section 4 serious misconduct is specified as serious wrongdoing and improper behaviour which is inimical to the image of the Service, which if investigated and proven can lead to dismissal from service.

    “The list is contained in sections 03, 04, 02 and it includes falsification of records, suppression of records, conviction of a criminal charge, bribery, corruption, misappropriation, embezzlement and sabotage etc.

    “Any indicted officer would cease to be on his / her duty and the suspension can come from the Civil Service Commission, Head of Service or the Governing Council,” he said

    Every effort should be geared towards breaking the ring of corruption in the Nigerian system.

    Searchlight should also be beamed on other government agencies and parastatals, especially the quiet and seemingly hidden ones.

  • Corruption: Court insists Justice Yunusa has case to answer

    AN Ikeja Special Offences Court yesterday ordered a judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Mohammed Yunusa, to face trial for alleged corruption.

    Justice Sherifat Solebo, in a ruling delivered yesterday, insisted that the embattled judge must fail trial over alleged corruption charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice Yunusa’s counsel, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN), had in a preliminary objection on March 9, claimed that the judge had been absolved of the corruption charges by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    Citing the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria Vs Nganjiwa, Clarke had said for Yunusa’s dismissal to be valid, President Muhammadu Buhari had to give a recommendation for his suspension.

    But Justice Solebo, in her ruling, disagreed with the submission of Clarke and ordered the judge to defend the charges against him.

    The judge dismissed the preliminary objection raised by the defence counsel against the judge’s trial.

    She insisted that the court has jurisdiction to hear the charges filed against the judge by the EFCC.

    Citing a letter dated November 8, 2016, from the NJC to the EFCC suspending the judge, Justice Solebo noted that the NJC had already exercised disciplinary action against the embattled judge.

    “I do not think that the defendant is a sitting judge having been suspended.  I thereby agree that prosecution cannot be brought until the NJC exercises its disciplinary powers against a judicial officer.

    “Going through Nganjiwa’s case, there is no evidence that the NJC investigated Nganjiwa but in the case against the first defendant (Yunusa), the NJC on its 76th meeting investigated him.

    “What is left to be done? The NJC has done what it is empowered to do. It is my decision that I am not bound by Nganjiwa Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she insisted.

    EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Mr. Wahab Shittu, thanked the judge for dismissing the objection raised by the defence.

    “I thank My Lord for this ruling. This is an uncommon display of judicial courage. This cannot be called judicial rascality. We commend this ruling,” Shittu said.

    The EFCC had arraigned Yunusa, formerly a judge of the Lagos Division of Federal High Court, alongside Esther Agbo, a staff of the law chambers of Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN) on January 17.

    Yunusa was arraigned on four counts, bordering on attempted perversion of the course of justice and corruption by a public official. Agbo was charged with offering gratification to a public official.

    They, however, denied the charges.

    The EFCC alleged that Yunusa had constant and confidential communications with Tarfa, who was handling three lawsuits before him.

    It also alleged that Yunusa collected N1.5 million bribe from Tarfa for the purpose of giving favourable rulings and judgments in the cases.

    The judge is also being accused of receiving N750, 000 from Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), between March 2015 and September, 2015, to get “favourable” judgment in some cases.

    Agbo, the second defendant, who is an employee of Rickey Tarfa and Co., on May 14, 2015, paid the N1.5 million allegedly from Tarfa into Yunusa’s UBA account.

    The offences violated Sections 64(1)(a) and 97(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    During yesterday’s proceedings, Justice Solebo also in a ruling dismissed the three grounds in a preliminary objection filed by Mr. John Odubela (SAN), Agbo’s defence counsel.

    On March 9, Odubela had asked the court to dismiss the charges against Agbo on three grounds. The first is that the amended information was incompetent because it was signed by Mr. E. E. Iheanacho, an EFCC official, instead of the Attorney-General (A-G) or an official from his office.

    The other two grounds were that the National Industrial Court (NIC) was the court with jurisdiction because the alleged crime was made in the course of Agbo’s employment and that the case against her was unknown to the law.

    Justice Solebo adjourned the case until June 11, 13 and 14 for trial.

  • Corruption and the whimsical alibis of the leeches

    Slowly but assuredly, it is beginning to sink into our subconscious that Nigeria’s survival as a nation is dependent on how it handles the monster called corruption. Though yet to be released to the public, a review of a book aptly titled,“Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind The Headlines” and written by the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, suggests that much still needs to be done to tame this corrosive menace. Besides, from her testimonial, it is evidently not a fight for the lily-livered or the faint hearted. If the renowned economist had to go through the traumatic experiences recounted in the book just because she insisted on doing things the right way, it stands to reason that unimaginable heist could have been perpetrated under a more tempered, understanding and condescending minister. And that should really scare us not just because of the riveting tales Okonjo-Iweala told in her book but because of the tradition of mind blowing larceny that daily goes on in the nation’s honey pot—-the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

     

    Listen to her in a sneak preview published in ThisDay newspaper earlier in the week: “For me, it was also an issue of personal responsibility. I believe that the fight against corruption must start with individuals who choose to take responsibility. Years of development experience have shown me that regardless of the instruments, such as incentives and disincentives, that are available to reformers, corruption cannot be fought successfully from the outside or by outsiders. It must be by ‘insiders and from the inside’.” She would then go on to reveal how her insistence on due process and accountability not only led to the kidnap of her aged mother but also a series of threats that could have resulted in her permanent incapacitation but for providence. In all this, the activities of the NNPC stands out as a festering sore with the powerful briefcase contractors insisting that  they must be paid billions of naira for services not rendered even after a forensic audit blew open the lid off their vicious deceit.

     

    On the face of it, one would have thought that the Jonathan administration did itself some good by prosecuting a number of oil thieves indicted by the House of Representatives report. But, from Okonjo-Iweala\s recap of what happened during that period, it became manifestly clear that she was practically walking on a tight rope without the support of strong institutions that would have made the job easier. Corruption thrives because of insider connivance and harvest of betrayals. Nothing more could justify this than the latest revelations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, detailing how a sleaze worth N1.8bn was clinically effected by some top leaders of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party without anyone raising an eyebrow. The EFCC’s account, in my view, underscores the former minister’s outcry that her attempt to ensure transparency and accountability in the sector was “probably one of the most stressful and dangerous tasks of my job as finance minister!”

     

    How, for instance, would she have known that some hawks and fat cats within the system were beneficiaries of the purchase of vehicles worth N1.8bn which was part of the proceeds fleeced from the same sector she could have easily lost life in a bid to sanitize its workings? According to a report published by this paper on Monday, the current Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, and two of his colleagues in the Jonathan government were beneficiaries of the exotic car gifts worth such humongous amount. While the Secondus vehicle gifts were said to gulp a whopping N472m (55 vehicles including two ‘treated’ or bulletproof ones), that of the former chairman of the party and ex-governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Muazu was N504m and Senator Albert Bassey, former Commissioner of Finance in Akwa Ibom State equally received car largesse worth N303m.

     

    Want to know the interesting thing about these special gifts? Reports indicated that they were bought with proceeds from the Strategic Alliance Agreement between Energy Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited owned by Chief Jide Omokore and the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a deal that is under investigation following suspicion that it was a conduit pipe through which the powerful cabal in that sector under the Jonathan government siphon billions of dollars for themselves and cronies. None of the three party top shots mentioned received anything less than 20 assorted state of the art vehicles from this generously wonderful ‘philanthropist’ in the oil sector. And what reasons did they give for willingly accepting the gifts without questioning the source? The report said that Secondus, in his statement before the EFCC, claimed that: “All these gifts came to me from the Chairman of Atlantic Energy, Chief Jide Omokore over the years. I am not aware of the proceeds from Strategic Alliance Agreement being used to purchase the gifts.” And then Bassey had this to say: “The vehicles are gifts from Jide Omokore on the need to ensure my personal safety. I have known him for 19 years since 1997. They are also contributions to my governorship campaigns in 2014.”

     

    Unless the meaning of ‘over the years’ has changed, I wonder what Secondus meant by that statement. Come to think of it, we are speaking of 10 Hiace High Roof at N8.5m each, 15 Hiace Mid-roof at N8.5m each, a Range Rover Autobiography at N50m, Mercedes G63 at N36m and two Toyota Hilux Cabin Pick Up at N14m all paid for on April 8, 2014! Bassey’s many cars were also listed as follows: one BMW X5BP (Bullet Proof) at N50m bought in 2010; Infinity OX 5BP at N45m bought in 2012; Range Rover at N40m bought in 2014; 11 Toyota Hiace High Roof and D Cabin bought in 2014 and set of vehicles worth N83m also bought in 2014. However, the details of Adamu’s car gifts were missing probably because he is yet to be interrogated. It is not in any doubt that he would likely come up with the same story of accepting freely given gifts from a friend without questioning the source of the purchase. Curiously, the same tendentious excuse was given by all those alleged to have benefitted from the $1.2 billion arms money recklessly disbursed from the Office of the National Security Adviser to Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki. They all assume it was money that had been properly appropriated! Can you beat that!

     

    In this same country, a former first lady was on record to have claimed that the mind-blowing billions of Naira (counting, still going on, more still being discovered) linked to her accounts were mostly gifts from well-wishers and friends of her husband. Maybe the word ‘gift’ is now a password for untainted sudden wealth, indicative of how the privileged few grow their personal human capital. Whatever it is, we should be concerned because of its implication to our collective wellbeing. But we are not. Instead, we wish them away, describing it as a needless witch hunt of the elements in the opposition. These are the little, little things killing us and putting our future in jeopardy—the soft but deadly punches knocking out our brains.

     

    Okonjo-Iweala was right in describing the vast majority of Nigerians as honest, hardworking whose simple desire was to see a government that provides basic services. But how on earth would that be achievable in a system which, in spite of all efforts, continue to allow key decisions to be taken at the whim of the leader  without efficient institutions to stop the abuse? With an errant National Assembly which is more interested in feeding fat on the system and a judiciary which Okonjo-Iweala described as frustratingly slow, would Nigeria ever reach that moral high when corruption would be fought from the inside by the ‘insiders’ for the benefits of all? Maybe Okonjo-Iweala’s book would give us an insight. Maybe it would not. Be that as it may, there is no better time than now to start being a bit more circumspect in the way we wave off corrosive corruption as a norm instead of a deadly affliction!

     

  • Looted funds: Victor Uwajeh’s panel will tame corruption says Group

    The Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN) has said the choice of Victor Uwajeh on the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property by the Federal Government will assist in taming corruption.

    The Panel is being chaired by the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecutions, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla

    The group in a statement made available to journalists expressed optimism that the choice of Uwajeh to trace and recover undeclared assets as well as funds looted from government coffers goes to show that President Muhammadu Buhari, is indeed resolute in his resolve to kill corruption before corruption kills Nigeria.

    The statement which was signed by its President Barrister Edward Omaga stated,  ” the record we have of Uwajeh depicts him as one of the finest Private Investigator around, having been trained at the Redding University, United Kingdom.

    “He was awarded the Degree of Associate of Science in Criminal Investigations and Economic Crimes in the year 2007 before being inducted to practice as Private Investigator/Consultant by the Institute of Private Investigation, United Kingdom.

    In the past, Uwajeh had brought his wealth of experience to bear in Nigeria when he was engaged by successive administrations to unravel numerous economic crimes involving high profile personalities and agencies.

    “We understand that corrupt individuals both in public and private sectors of the economy will do everything possible to distract the Special Assistant to the President on Prosecutions, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla from maintaining focus and ridding our dear country of rot, corruption, misappropriation and waste.

    “After all, it is no longer strange that when you fight corruption, corruption surely fights back. President Buhari must beware of some disgruntled politicians who are trying use the media to paint l Uwajeh in bad light within this period just to settle personal scores.

    “At GICN, we are willing to continually support the government in the fight against corruption, terrorism and economic sabotage. We therefore call on other sister Civil Society Organizations, people of good conscience and the international community to join hands with Mr. President as he strives to make Nigeria great again” the group stated.

    It could be recalled that the Federal government had appointed a London based Nigerian private investigator,  Uwajeh to help the government trace and recover undeclared assets and proceeds of fraud as part of the ongoing fight against corruption in the country.

    Uwajeh has worked as a consultant to the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Finacial Crimes, Private investigator to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), consultant to the EFCC, Special Assistant to Chairman Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption, among others.

    The letter dated 22nd March, 2018 said Uwajeh’s application has been considered for engagement as special investigator to his panel.

  • ‘Corruption, infrastructure deficit bane of maritime sector’

    Corruption and infrastructural challenge have been identified as the bane of the shipping and clearing arm of the maritime sector.

    Speaking with The Nation in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer, Olas Motors Mr  Samuel Anderson,  said addressing the challenges would see shipping and clearing make huge contributions to the economy.

    The importer also alleged that the government has failed to provide basic infrastructure that would make the ports attractive for business.

    Comparing shipping in Nigeria to other countries like Dubai, China, and United States, he said there was no basis for comparison. “In Nigeria, there is no scanner and other necessary  equipment at the ports. There is no stability or continuity of policies, whereas in other developed counties, the economy, the currency and every other thing, are planned and this is what investors want to plan their businesses. It is not easy to set up anything in Nigeria because there is no reliable system in place.

    “Nigerians in the Diaspora have the expertise, resources and connection that can help develop this country, but the country is being strangulated by corruption, policy inconsistency, poor infrastructure and other evils. These discourage them,” he said.

    For instance, he said, in China, the government builds houses and makes other provisions for its citizens in the Diaspora, who are willing to relocate and invest in China, while in Nigeria there is no form of encouragement, no matter what you want to do.

    According to Anderson, staying in the United States (US) for many years, has helped him to gain enough expertise that would enable him bring about a positive change in shipping and cargo importation in the country. However, he said he was afraid because of too much corruption and infrastructural decay at the ports, adding that there was no port in Nigeria that compares to what obtained in other developed countries and urged the Federal Government to fix the ports and reduce the number of its agencies.

    “In China or Hong Kong, you can have your container released to you in two hours once it arrives the port and this is at a cost equivalent of between N5,000 and N10,000 whereas in our ports, for your container to be released, it takes several days to weeks and costs several hundreds of thousands of naira or more than a million naira in some cases, despite the government’s effort at reformation.

    “In Asia, everything works systematically and you can plan successfully. But here, there are lots of policy somersaults; things are not organised for sustainable growth and most importers in Nigeria find it difficult to cope with this kind of system after experiencing the best way things are done in other countries,” he said.

  • Playing politics with corruption

    The issue of corruption has continued to dominate our national discourse. The sensationalism and criticism which the current anti-graft war has attracted leaves many with different perceptions. There are some who satirize it; still others politicize the whole process. But everybody seems to be on the same page that corruption is the bane of our national economic development, yet many are ready to do everything to sustain it. So, any sincere attempt to frontally tackle this menace would be seriously faulted and resisted by those who want the status quo to remain. While few have built empires of affluence for themselves and family through the proceeds of corruption, majority of other hapless Nigerians have continued to languish in abject poverty and wallow in sub-human living conditions.

    For long, the country and its people have been regarded as a conquered territory by its leaders. This explains why the resources are pillaged, shared and carted away with reckless abandon. Successive administrations in the country have continued to throw up leaders with unimaginable appetite to steal even to the extent that they sometimes take more than they really have needs for. Unfortunately even our popular democracy is regarded by some as corporate kleptocracy. We have become an embarrassment in the comity of nations, a country of multiple paradoxes, being one of the richest in terms of natural endowments yet having majority of its citizens living below poverty line.  Blessed with vast arable land, yet having many hungry mouths around, having many sources of power generation and then living more in darkness than light. A country touted to be potentially an elephant, yet substantially an ant. Why is there much suffering amid plenty?

    Corruption remains the culprit here and must be arrested! Today, the nation’s average life expectancy is a little above 50 years. In fact Nigeria is reportedly ranked 216th globally and 16th in the continent according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Surveys have also shown that most countries of Europe, Asia and Americas have average life expectancy of above 80 years.  Unfortunately diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, HIV, diabetics, cancer, high blood pressure etc have continued to remain life threatening in this 21st century.

    Poor medical facilities and dilapidated social infrastructures are not helping the lots of the hapless citizens. The desire to consciously effect a change in the leadership of the nation informed the election of the incumbent administration in 2015 and Nigerians believed that the current president would have the political-will to bring the envisaged change. His intention to pursue the war against corruption was not hidden, therefore his manifestoes copiously encapsulated this subject but three years on and corruption appears to be aggressively fighting back. Many had thought that the Buhari presidency would automatically nail the coffin of corruption in this country. Little did they know that this malaise is so deeply entrenched in the national psyche.

    The trading of accusations and counter-accusations between government and the country’s main opposition party following the recent release of looters’ list is quite unfortunate, to the extent that the main opposition party has also come up with its own list. To be frank, this is not what Nigerians expect to see. If the fight against corruption is being trivialized this way on the pages of newspapers, then we are sadly, a failed country. No nation that is serious to fight corruption would sincerely be entertained by this drama. One way to portray unseriousness about this on-going war against corruption is to ridicule it in this manner and I don’t think any serious government can brook such needless comedy of parody. What point are we making here? Are we saying that those indicted never helped themselves with the public funds? I quite agree with the country’s main opposition party’s position which is that it was not the party that looted the nation but individuals. So instead of continuously blaming the party for the nation’s woes, let those individuals who are found culpable, be punished and their loots recovered.

    Poverty does not know religion, tribe or politics, therefore undue sentiments being brought into this fight by even we the ordinary citizens who are the main victims of corruption is most regrettable. So the whole idea of whipping up of unnecessary sentiments here is neither logical nor meaningful. It does not also matter which corrupt person is indicted today or who is going to be culpable tomorrow; the important thing is let this war continue unabated. That man whose name is not on that list today is neither exonerated nor acquitted as today’s sacred cow may be tomorrow’s scapegoat. What goes round usually comes around; it is just a matter of time. To expect a man who is investigating corruption suspects to begin with himself first before believing in the transparency of the process is most hypocritical. No, let him do the job cut out for him today, if he is latter found to have soiled his hands, another person would investigate him. Also the argument that this present government should investigate all corrupt cases from independence till now before one takes it serious is both puerile and fragile as no single administration can exhaust all cases of corruption in its life span. The fight should be a continuum; it is not expected to end with any government.

    Even some of those indicted by this government are not denying it but are rather peeved because their perceived co-travellers on that messy lane are left out. But should a thief demand the arrest of all other thieves before being prosecuted? This too is unfortunate and it smacks of an attitude of an unrepentant criminal. Government should start with those on its own list but should be armed with a more convincing evidence to nail all those indicted without shielding other glaring cases of malfeasance within its fold.  Remember like the president would say, ’ if we do not kill corruption then it would kill all of us’’.

     

    • Etim, a public affairs analyst, writes from Calabar.

  • ‘Preach against fraud, corruption, dishonesty’

    The Amir Sahib, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Dr. Mash’hud Fashola, has said the nation’s problem is caused by dishonesty, corruption and fraud.

    He said religious leaders should preach against them.

    Fashola spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, after a two-day visit to the Akinyele Circuit of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at.

    He said religious leaders should bury their sectional, denominational and religious differences to take the country out of its predicament.

    The Amir Sahib, a former head of Department of Economics, University of Lagos, Akoka, said: “Religion has failed in Nigeria because some of our religious leaders are preaching something else, instead of preaching truthfulness, honesty and piety needed for nation-building.

    “Imagine a contractor who collected N250 million for a project that could be executed with N50 million. These are some of the things affecting the country.

    “Our hypocrisy knows no bound. We are religious but not God-fearing. Our religious leaders are expected to change the people. We can challenge the government to move the nation forward.”

    He said the solution to the nation’s problems starts from churches and mosques, noting that religious leaders should unite to demand good governance.

    According to him, “our religious leaders should stop honouring wealthy people, who made their wealth from corrupt, fraudulent and other questionable means.

    “These people should be encouraged to give their stolen wealth to the poor. The truth is, Nigerians are more fraudulent than Europeans who don’t attend churches and mosques.

    “It is a pity that our youths are very lazy. What we should be preaching to them is hard work.”

    Fashola hailed the Catholic bishops for their visit to the Presidency on the country’s situation and for condemning stealing, looting and killings.

    He urged the government to ensure that Nigerians have access to food and job, saying these would reduce insecurity and crime.

    The Islamic leader, who also visited the University of Ibadan, where he was received by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Ambrose Emilolorun-Ayelari, praised the leadership of the institution for ensuring a peaceful atmosphere.

    He implored the university not to relent in promoting morality among youths.

  • Buhari presiding over most corrupt govt in history – Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has faulted the list of alleged looters unveiled by the Federal Government which he described as “concocted and afterthought to cover the shame of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

    Fayose alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was presiding over “the most corrupt government in the history of Nigeria and protecting looters of the country’s commonwealth.”

    The Ekiti governor likened Buhari to a father who is protecting his children that are armed robbers but calling on security agents to arrest children of his neighbour for stealing meats from their mother’s pot,

    Fayose in a statement on Monday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, insisted that the administration Buhari presides over lacks the moral justification to call some people “looters” alleging that his (Buhari’s) presidential nomination form was procured with looted cash.

    He reiterated that Nigerians were more interested in their welfare, security of their lives and physical development of the country than tales of concocted lists of corrupt Nigerians, who are only corrupt in the estimation of the government because they do not belong to the APC.

    Fayose said: “With the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, saying that corruption has become more endemic in Nigeria than it was in the last 16 years.

    “With the country moving 12 places below its rating, a honourable government would have stopped using fight against corruption as its major achievement and releasing names of people that are still under trial as looters just to cover up its failure.

    “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) never pretended to Nigerians that it had corrupt people in its fold and the party never protected them. Today, the party has gone ahead to offload the corrupt elements into the APC and they were not only accepted gladly into the party, they were given prominent appointments by the President.”

    “For any lists of alleged looters to be credible, the President, who is protecting looters should be number one while those looters in his government should follow.

    “His nomination form was bought with proceeds of corruption and those who bought the form and financed his election were paid back with the return of all their seized properties, ministerial appointments and even disappearance of prosecution witnesses in EFCC cases.

    “A government that reinstated and promoted Abdullahi Maina, who was declared wanted for corrupt practices by the International Police Organisation, (INTERPOL) and dismissed in 2013 for alleged N2.1 billion pension fraud and used APC broom to sweep the $25 billion contracts scam in the NNPC under the carpet is nothing but a government of plunderers and that is the clear definition of Buhari’s government.

    “It was in this same government that the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole suspended the National Health Insurance Scheme Executive Secretary, Professor Usman Yusuf for alleged corruption and the President recalled him even without the knowledge of the Minister.

    “Up till today, nothing has happened to the probe panel on the allegedN500 million bribery said to have been paid to the President’s Chief of Staff (COS), Abba Kyari by officials of MTN to influence government to discontinue its heavy stance on the $5 billion fine imposed on the company.

    “Therefore, no matter how hard they try now, they can no longer hoodwink Nigerians with their deceit of fight against corruption. Even APC Senator, Shehu Sani once said that the President uses insecticide to fight corruption involving his perceived political opponents, but use deodorant when it comes it affects his own men.”

    Read Also: PDP replies APC, lists cases of alleged looting under Buhari

  • Kumuyi urges Christians in leadership to shun corruption

    Pastor William Kumuyi, the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church on Sunday, urged Christians in leadership positions to shun corruption and act as exemplary leaders for others to follow.

    Kumuyi, who was represented by the church’s Camp Commandant, Pastor Andrew Umor, gave the advice at the grand finale of the 2018 National Easter Retreat of Church in Lagos.
    The cleric said only the righteousness would move the country forward, adding that the retreat was to teach Christians how to shine as light in whatsoever positions they found themselves.

    “We have had so much about corruption in Nigeria, but we know that true Christianity brings a difference and that is what this retreat is all about.

    “It is about teaching believers to shine as light and be different from the unbelievers.

    “Christians should not embezzle money in their offices but live according to the testimony of Christ,’’ the cleric said.

    He also stressed the need for Christians to lead with conscience in leadership position,
    able to deliver a different path to the nation, urging Christian leaders in Nigeria to return to the Bible.

    Cleric said that the message in the convention was about having faith in Christ and repentance into a life that transformed society.

    He underscored the need for Christians to be heirs of God’s Kingdom before they could inherit the provisions and treasures of God’s kingdom.

    “If we return to the Bible and the basis and the truth that the Bible teaches, we won’t be having all these problems we have been having because therein lies all the solutions.

    “The Word of God is the light the nation and righteousness exalts the nation so, if we return to the word, the way it is; then, there will be less problems,’’ he said.

    The Lagos Moderator of the Church, Pastor Bayo Oyeyemi also that the outpouring of the power of God at the convention was because the participants prepared for the programme.

    “We see the excitement and the outpouring of the power of God upon the people of God.

    ‘’It did not just happen ordinarily but people were full of expectations, prayers and preparations.

    “Nigerians should seek more of God and look unto Him because He is our maker and we must put Him first.

    “The solution to crisis in Nigeria is God. God didn’t create man with crisis. Crisis is man-made and the solution is of God.

    “If Nigerians will repent, Nigeria will be another heaven on earth,” Oyeyemi said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the annual convention entitled “Heirs of His Kingdom” commenced on March 29 and ended on April 1. (NAN)

  • Grand corruption under Jonathan cannot be forgotten- Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has justified the continued reference to the extent of corruption under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Osinbajo spoke at the 10th birthday colloquium held in Lagos in honour of a National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu.

    According to him, there need to highlight what he described as grand corruption in the last administration because of the impact on the present state of the country’s economy.

    “Nigeria is where it is today because of the corruption that was perpetrated by previous administration.

    “We will talk about grand corruption, ” recalling the Yoruba proverb that translates thus: Frog says when discussion gets to the issue of tail, we should skip it. He says we must ensure Nigeria never takes such road (of corruption) again!.

    ” If we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us,” Osinbajo stated.

    While admitting that the best times of the country are yet to come in accordance with the change promised by the APC, Osinbajo said “we are getting better and better”