AN OPEN LETTER TO THE EFCC
CHAIRMAN, MR LAMORDE IBRAHIM
EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde
So Far, So Good: My Submission.
Dear Sir,
I might be naive, but I cannot appreciate
you and your team enough for the recent
gallant efforts to retrieve our yams stolen
before May 29, 2015 at our national yam
barn. I wish to state that I am now totally
brainwashed that change has come to stay!
I have some reasonable grounds for this
feeling. Hence, I can return to my village
and sleep for my hope now is stronger
than my despair in the previous years.
Just as I was about to lay my poor self
down with this latest conviction, and wait
patiently for the change to reach to my
door step, it struck my mind that there are
potholes and the way to my home might
be
delayed, if not totally forgotten. It is on this
note that I write to you.
Benue State, my state of origin, is in the
mid-belt region of this country, with the
Tiv, Idoma and Igede Languages
predominantly spoken, as well as other
dialects. It is here sir, that the immediate
past President of the Senate; the Senate
Minority Leader; the
Minister of State for Trade and Investment,
and a short time acting Aviation Minister;
the Minister of State for foreign affairs and
‘most importantly’, the most-featured-on-
Presidential-trips-Governor, a friend to the
immediate past President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, the most articulate
Governor from the Northern part of
Nigeria, an immediate Past Governor of the
State Rt. Hon. Dr. Gabriel Torwua Suswam
all hail from.
With this popularity, I am sure one may
wonder why a poor boy there, still have
some doubts that the State might be
forgotten. Well, to the State, these were,
but names!
I have no doubt as to whether we are still
remembered, but I doubt if you have
already known about the terrible storm we
had in the last administration, or you
heard about the enormity of its
consequences on us and how stronger it
blew here.
There have been cries from all angles of
massive looting, stealing and ‘thieving’ of
government property including money by
the immediate past administration of the
State. But the man on the street will never
understand the intimacy and details of
such
government dealings, most especially
when money is involved. The most obvious
to us usually, are the non-existing/
functioning
projects through which the huge funds are
been embezzled. For instance, in Benue
State particularly, the ‘Greater Makurdi
Water Works, Otobi and Katsina-Ala Water
works’ were contracted since 2008. And
since then, these projects alone, became
pits for the State allocations, Tax-Payers’
money, and a 13 billion Naira bond was
shortly before the exit of the past
administration, approved and collected by
same in the name of these projects.
Worse still, in spite of the fact that these
projects were commissioned by formal
President, Goodluck Jonathan sometime in
March 2012, there has been water
everywhere in the State but non for
residents to drink.
Again Sir, the money and items meant for
flood victims in the State were diverted for
personal usage; and the most obvious
storm was the non payment of workers’
salaries, entitlements and pensions for
several months. Yet, a huge debt profile
was left for the incoming administration of
the State.
Sir, with all these and many more(which
are probably hidden to common people
(like myself), I wonder what is delaying the
presence of your team to our dear State! I
became highly-strung to speak to you
through my pen when I heard of the good
work of your team in the far Southern
Nigeria – their being after Hon. Kingsley
Kuku, former President Goodluck’s Adviser
on Amnesty who hails from Ondo State of
the South-West Zone that is not less than
494km away from you, leaving behind
Benue State under your feet-that is just
about 282km away.
That is my doubt; that is my beck, Sir!
Sir, even though there might have been
very little and tiny yam seeds stolen in
Benue State as compared to what you are
after now, but that is what we produce;
and that is what we survive on. That, I’m
passionate about…
So I suggest Sir, that as you started well in
the far Northern part of the Country, and
you wish to do well in the South-West now,
please, do not dive, come and have a look.
Do not forget to also extend this
handshake of Change to States as well as
the Local Government Levels so that we
can separate the bran from the flour.
Thank you and May God grease your elbow
as He leads your path. Extend my profound
gratitude to His Excellency, President
Ityorumun Muhammadu Buhari for
allowing you a free space to do your job.
Yours Sincerely,
Blessed Comrade Akade Emmanuel Iorhile

When will u release a closed letter