http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/forum/main-square/7867-efcc-moves-stop-corrupt-governors-fleeing-ribadu-vows-prosecute-tinubu.html


EFCC moves to stop corrupt governors from fleeing - Ribadu vows to prosecute Tinubu, Kalu, others
Semiu Okanlawon, Musikilu Mojeed, Rasheed Bisiriyu and Seto Olatuyi


Governors indicted for corrupt practices are in for fresh trouble as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has initiated moves to stop them from fleeing the country at the end of their tenure on May 29, 2007.

The commission’s Chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, also told journalists in Lagos that Governors Bola Tinubu(Lagos); Orji Kalu(Abia); and Ibrahim Shekarau(Kano), would be prosecuted for alleged corrupt practices.

Speaking with our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, a source in EFCC said the commission decided to take steps at averting the escape of the indicted governors following information that most of them were making secret moves to leave the country.

He said the EFCC had learnt its lessons from the “disappearance” of the former Plateau State Governor, Chief Joshua Dariye, and his Ekiti State counterpart, Mr. Ayo Fayose, after they were removed from office.

Apart from Tinubu, Kalu and Shekarau, the EFCC had on September 27, 2006 said that 20 other governors were being investigated for corruption.

Governors Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); George Akume(Benue); and Sam Egwu(Ebonyi) had on February 9, 2007 been dragged to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

The three governors had been accused of owning properties that far outweighed their legitimate income as public officers.

By the provision of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, the indicted governors cannot be arrested since they enjoy immunity.

But the EFCC source said that none of the indicted governors would find his way out of the country.

He disclosed that the commission had, in conjunction with the police, the Nigerian Immigration Service and the State Security Service, put the governors under watch.

The movements of the governors’ family members, associates and friends, according to the official, are also being discreetly monitored by the agencies.

He added that the bank accounts of the governors, their family members and friends were under scrutiny by the Financial Intelligence Unit of the EFCC.

According to him, the commission has also discouraged foreign embassies in the country from issuing visas to the affected governors.

Besides, the anti-corruption agency has drawn the attention of the global regulatory body on money laundering issues, the Financial Action Task Force, to the matter.

The source explained that even if any of the governors succeeded in fleeing the country, the EFCC would rely on the Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement between Nigeria and other countries that had subscribed to the FATF treaty to repatriate him.

He said that all that the EFCC needed to do was to ask the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to contact his counterpart in a country in which such a governor might be taking refuge to ask for his repatriation in line with the MLA Treaty.

The officilal added, “I can assure you that we will not allow any of the corrupt governors to escape. Fortunately for us, the FATF has categorised people like them as politically exposed persons.

“Since they are under watch, they can easily and constantly be monitored. We are doing everything within our powers to stop them from leaving. If other security agencies cooperate with us, there is definitely no way out for the affected governors.

“We want to make sure they are prosecuted for their corrupt deeds. I can assure you that some of them will go to jail.”

The EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Osita Nwajah, confirmed that the commission was making efforts to stop indicted governors from fleeing.

Although Nwajah did not give details of the efforts, he told one of our correspondents on the telephone that the anti-corruption body was collaborating with the police, the SSS and the NIS on the matter.

He said, “It is in the interest of Nigeria to prevent anybody from fleeing after committing a crime. So, the EFCC will do whatever it can to stop the governors from escaping from the country.

“But we will have to work with other relevant agencies to achieve that objective. As you know, the police, the immigration and the State Security Services are very relevant to this matter.

“What we are trying to do is a wholly Nigerian aspiration. Anybody who has committed any crime should not be allowed to run away and find a haven elsewhere.”

Also on Sunday, Ribadu said that Tinubu, Kalu, and Shekarau would be prosecuted following their indictment by an administrative panel of enquiry.

Ribadu, who spoke with newsmen at the Presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, said that the commission decided to single them out because they were the only governors seeking fresh elective positions.

He said, “Tinubu and the rest (other governors) should consider themselves as very lucky.

“They ought to have been where Dariye, Fayose, Alamieyeseigha are today.

“They cannot escape. It is a matter of time. They have the protection of the law. They enjoy immunity.

“We are after them because they still want to rule us again. The constitution is against indicted people. After their tenure, they will be prosecuted. They remain indicted and are not fit to hold public positions.”

Ribadu dismissed the insinuation that the commission was focusing on the opposition.

He said that the prosecution of the indicted governors would come as soon as they left office on May 29.

He accused some indicted political aspirants of wanting to hide under the cover of the opposition to get back to power.

The EFFC boss said, “We have investigated a lot of people. We are not focusing on the opposition. You probably will see that 80 per cent of those investigated are in the Peoples Democratic Party.

“We know the antics of bad people in this country. They do 419 and commit other forms of fraud and then use democracy as a vehicle to continue with their fraudulent activities.

“These people have to answer for their misdeeds instead of giving the impression that they cannot be dealt with.”

Ribadu also faulted Tinubu’s challenge to the EFCC to produce incontrovertible evidence of his alleged corrupt practices.

He said Tinubu had merely engaged in an “empty boast.”

In his reaction, Tinubu said he sympathised with Ribadu over what he described as crisis of credibility.

He said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, that president Olusegun Obasanjo had made it clear that the EFCC was merely an instrument for harassing opposition groups in the country.

Tinubu said, ”We recall that the President alleged that a former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Rahman Mimiko, mismanaged his office and that he would soon send the EFCC after him.

“We also note that the feeble defence offered by Ribadu in his interview with The Guardian on Sunday is that he cannot control what the President says.

”For us in the opposition, we can see through the hypocrisy behind the so-called anti-corruption crusade.”

He added that he had never been afraid of a proper investigation and prosecution either now or after his tenure.

Kalu, in his reaction, said the EFCC had failed to tell Nigerians what offence he had committed.

The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Udeala, said, ”Kalu is not afraid of being tried. But any trial must follow the due process.

“If the EFCC has its facts, why not? But as I am talking to you now, the commission has not told Nigerians or even Kalu himself, for what offence he would be tried.

”Let the commission tell Nigerians what offence he has committed.”

In 2011, they are now strange bed fellows:

Any hope in these people?

Of what relevance is this post? Waste of bandwidth.

ROFLMAO!!!

Eko Ile:

Of what relevance is this post? Waste of bandwidth.

Why will you know?

Eko Ile:

Of what relevance is this post? Waste of bandwidth.

Are u also suffering from credibility crisis?
Ribadu does not have the moral credentials to rule naija, he is too gud at witch-hunting and tongue twisting.

@Poster, was there no Video with this news? I for one would like to see him saying it so we can play it back or something.