The Hidden Corrupt Chameleon In EFCC By MM, Firdausi

OPINION

Jun 8, 2015

Corruption has become institutionalised in Nigeria, but what makes it worst is the way some Law Enforcement Agents, that are been drafted to fight corruption, have become highly corrupt and unreliable. In this regard, we look at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC for example, through the role its Director of Operations, Mr. Olaolu Adegbite, an Assistant Commissioner of Police has been playing, in order to subvert Justice. As a senior police officer saddled with the day to day operational responsibilities of the EFCC, before now, he was the Head of a Fraud Section of the agency for a period of at least 5 to 6years, in its Lagos Zonal Office.

During this period, Mr. Adebgite became the most popular and celebrated seconded Policeman within the EFCC, he was celebrated both Nationally and Internationally, giving him credit for the Unknown. But the question is; How well do they know this man? Through investigations on him and observing him over the years, it has been revealed that he is the most “Quiet, Careful and Corrupt” policeman in the agency. Mr. Adegbite has managed to put up a strict and incorruptible front, while behind the scene, he collects his bribe through his proxies; CSP. Ibrahim Yidi and Ms. Ronke Shomope Oyeneyin, an Indoctrinated EFCC Regular Cadet, who worked as team mates with Mr. Adegbite in Lagos Office of the EFCC. Both of whom Mr. Adegbite never keeps at arms-length, as he climbs the ladder of his pretentious running of the operations of the EFCC. He ensures that they are given juicy cases and units, while he remains at the background, as they carry on with injustices and corrupt malpractices on his behalf.

Today, when you check Kirikiri Prison, you will realise that only the poor and less powerful ones are locked up there, while the powerful and rich ones escape the hands of Mr. Adegbite and his cronies. This is the pattern this typical policeman has groomed in the EFCC.

However, the Subsidy cases, have a SPECIAL Unit– Extractive Industries Fraud Section, headed by one of Mr. Adegbite’s Game Player; Mr. Ibrahim YIDI and of course, they used this unit as an opportunity to enrich themselves and make noise about a few subsidy suspects, as a guise to be seen working. Here, injustice was at its peak, as they ensured that much were unheard of, while a few are the sacrificial lambs. Do you mind to ask, where was NNPC, PPMC, Inspection Teams and Managing Directors of other subsidiaries when the subsidy happened? Response, you will get from Mr. Adegbite and his team mates. Try to also find out where other Oil and Gas companies that have been carrying on with subsidy for years, and yet, the team invited some of them, while they protected some and covered their names from appearing in the saga.

What about the Houses and Estates which Mr. Adegbite and his inner circle have all over Lagos and Abuja. How about how much he sells out information to the highest bidders and protects them? How about how he deceives the international agencies, organisations? How about the exhibits his team members dispose off illegaly and pockets the monies? Shortly after resuming as the Director of Operations at Abuja office, Mr. Adegbite went into acquiring properties worth Millions of Naira at choice areas in Abuja city. He also ensures a course mate of his, one Csp. Akan Ezima is brought to the EFCC as head of a Unit, to continue in his Lagos style of extortions from high profile suspects.

It is time something is done about the pretentious Hidden chameleon in the EFCC; Mr. Olaolu Adegbite and his cronies.

Also, we cannot forget another dangerous policeman in the EFCC; CSP. Illyasu kwarbai, who has been stationed at the Lagos Office of the agency, carrying on his illicit dealings as if the walls has no eyes, with the same pretence of cleanliness! Meanwhile, he is as bad as his colleagues, negotiating percentages with recovery agents, lawyers, throwing justice and fundamental human rights away, all in the name of how much he can extort from suspects and complainants. He acts like a tough dog and barks like one, but melts at the smell of a bone; Bribe. This policeman, Mr. Kwarbai, bullies the Regular Cadet Operatives the way he wants, once he has interest in a case. A recent instance was the way he had connived with the present leadership of the EFCC, and transferred/sent out a Senior Regular Cadet of the EFCC out of Lagos Office to another Zonal Office, owing to the fact that the same Cadet was well informed with all the illicit corruption and asset acquisition of Mr. Kwarbai within and outside the country. An eye-sour! Mr. Kwarbai’s wealth is thrown all over his state, Kaduna. While his invisible boss; Mr. Ibrahim Magu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, overseen the Watch-Dog in the agency as the Second in Command, was given a house at Lekki, Lagos State a year ago for a PEP case he had terminated/ Compromised when he was Head of a Section in that Zonal Office. Yet, he parades himself as a Saint, as he oppresses other staff. It’s time for them and many more in the agency to be Investigated, Punished and Dismissed as well from the EFCC and Police! These set of Senior Policemen have passed their sickness Corrupt Tendencies to some of the Regular Cadets of the EFCC, which this new government of President Muhammadu Buhari will have to take its time to investigate and fish out!

Also, report has it that Ms. Ronke Shomope Oyeneyin, heading the Technical Aid Operations in the agency, under the tutelage of Mr. Adegbite, presently divulges and sells information to Drug Barons, as she is in a unit that deals with such information, revealing the name of her present unit. Thereby informing them that it’s a Joint Task Force with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, and other international agencies. And she stands in for Mr. Adegbite on that, which was why he made sure Ms. Ronke was seconded to that unit, to continue her notorious act there, on his behalf. Even as the second in command in that Unit, is more vast in the field, but Mr. Adegbite will not allow for professionalism.

This was meant to be a Unit, created by the ICT Unit to assist the Operations Department of the EFCC, for the ease of investigations of fraud cases. But was later hijacked by Mr. Adegbite, where he ensures they lack nothing, by constantly portraying them as the most hard working and honest to the international communities and states, in order to keep requesting training for them. Except for the second in command in that Unit, they are the most corrupt, and have managed to cover their tracks all the way, courtesy of Mr. Adegbite!

On the other hand, during Mrs. Farida Waziri, the previous Chairman of the EFCC, she even transferred one of Mr. Adebgite’s stooges; Mr. Ibrahim Yidi to a Unit in Kano Office of the agency, due to his corrupt practices at a Unit in Lagos Office. Only to be returned back to Operations by the present leadership of the EFCC.

In trying to use tribal sentiment, Mr. Adegbite tried to penetrate and to deceive Mr. Emmanuel Aremo Adegboyega, the Commission Secretary to align with them, but Mr. Aremo as alleged, was quite smart as a senior lawyer, realizing he was a one man squad among the corrupt management policemen in the EFCC. So, he stayed as far aloof from them, since if you must dine with the devil, a long spoon won’t be a bad idea.

Many monetary recoveries especially in hard currencies from Nigeria suspects, who defrauded foreigners, were never returned to the complainants in most cases under Mr. Adegbite. These monies were made to be registered with the exhibit keeper at Lagos Office of the agency and stylishly collected back by Mr. Adegbite and his cronies. A police Sergeant Damon Yelma who is presently working under Mr. Yidi was used then in the exhibit room under the tutelage of one retired Dsp. Rufus Elesinnia to perfect their illicit activities.

Can Mr. Adegbite account for the roles he played as a Unit head in Lagos Office, alongside one retired DSP Gafaru Babalola and Ibrahim Yidi, under him as their boss. During the Wonder Banks reign, where millions of Nigerians were defrauded, yet Mr. Adegbite made alot of arrests, and not one among the culprits was ever prosecuted in Court. All were given clean bill, after parting with huge amount of millions to Mr. Adegbite and his cronies. Presently, those same clicks including; Asp. Bashir Muazu and Sergeant Agene Ogbemudia, whom Mr. Adegbite used to achieve his gimmicks of Corruption in Lagos Office, are all now part of the Abuja connection in the Subsidy Unit. Even as one Sergeant Odunayo Dada is still positioned by Mr. Adegbite at Lagos Office, while playing his bid.

Most striking of all, was the case of one Sergeant Mustapha Shakiru, another crony of Mr. Adegbite who absconded to the United State of America from both the EFCC and Police, after single handily collected and diverted bribe monies meant for his Principal, Mr. Olaolu Adegbite, running into Millions of Dollars, sometime in 2007. Till date, nothing has been heard of that fellow.

In addition, the present leadership of the EFCC did not only stop at all of these, yet, we must have heard of the corruption and bribery allegation upon Mr. Olaolu Adegbite, the agency’s Director of Operations and one Mr. Okoroma Chile, who is the Director of Legal Department. Both were brought in from Lagos Office of the EFCC by the present leadership, having been perfect impediments to the fight against corruption. They Mr. Adegbite and Mr. Chile were recently enmeshed in a bribery of over One Hundred Million Naira N100,000,000.00 instead, their cohort, the present leadership of the EFCC shielded the two of these management staff, since they were doing the bidding of the leadership.

No wonder during her stewardship, Mrs. Farida Waziri described Lagos Zonal Office, as the most corrupt with the likes of Mr. Adegbite, Mr. Kwarbai, Mr. Chile and others. When Mrs. Waziri previously assumed leadership of the EFCC, it led her to doing a mass transfer of officers from that Lagos Office. Now the biggest question is why did the present leadership return all the notable corrupt police officers, which Mrs. Waziri sent back to the police? Among whom were ACP. Umar Sanda, ACP. Ibrahim Magu, CSP. Bello Yahaya, SP. Alex Ebah and others. Meanwhile, atrocities as presently committed by one acting CSP. Baba Azare, heading a Section in Abuja Office, is likened to those committed by ACP. Umar Sanda when he was a head of Section in Lagos Office in the past.

Recently, we hear in the media that Ex-Governor Murtala Nyako and Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, both reported to the EFCC on their own, to face all the allegations levelled against them. The truth is that after sending Operatives after these Politically Exposed Persons, the leadership of the agency hurriedly went behind to inform these PEPs to report, as they are being hunted for arrest. This is the level to which the EFCC have been reduced and relegated to the background by the present leadership of the anti-graft agency. As compared to the previous leadership of Mrs. Farida Waziri, who never spared any corrupt political office holder, no matter their link with the government in power.

See a situation why the EFCC must not be headed by a Serving Law Enforcement Agents or Force. Take for instance the Corruption case of Two Hundred and Seventy Five Million N275,000,000 against Sir. Mike OKIRO, the Chairman of Police Service Commission, who is a retired Inspector-General of Police. So far, it is only the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission ICPC, that has been able to invite Mr. OKIRO, despite petitions on the alleged Corruption case sent to both the EFCC and ICPC. Do you expect the present leadership of the EFCC, who is a Serving Commissioner of Police, to start inviting Mr. OKIRO for interview and questioning? That will be suicidal, as the later is the one who decides on the Promotion of the former. But for the ICPC, even as the leadership is not an LEA, the head is a retired Justice, hence has no allegiance to any parent organisation.

Significantly, there are “Credible” Senior EFCC Regular Cadets, who are incorruptible and can handle the supervisory roles of Heads of Zonal Offices and Sections. But because these Senior Police Officers believed in the nomenclature of “EFCC Regular Cadets are Civilians”, hence, they placed even lower rank policemen as heads of Zones and Sections. While the Senior Regular EFCC Cadets, are left out in the supervisory roles. In one of the sections that handles PEPs Cases, exists a good example of a disciplined Senior Regular EFCC Cadet, whom till date he remained the only Operative in that Section who has not been “Indoctrinated” into corruption. Such that he is even been mocked by colleagues with the slogan “You dey Slack”. Also, in other Zonal offices of the EFCC like Gombe, Kano and others, there exists Regular EFCC Cadets who are credible and higher in rank as Law Enforcement Agents, yet they are never given d opportunity by the present leadership to take charge of Zonal Offices or Sections at the Abuja Head Office of the agency.

Among the Regular Cadets of the EFCC that have been so much indoctrinated with corruption as alleged, is the Special Assistant S.A. to the present leadership of Agency,who has lost his sense of reasoning to distinguish his left from right.This fellow, it is alleged that rather than push for the interest of Regular cadets, he amasses illicit wealth and claimed its Inheritance. What language is that? Where was the inheritance before now? I guess it was waiting for an avenue that will pave way for its concealment/ disguise of bribery and corruption, after cases and petitions have been compromised. Therefore, where is the Role Model that the Regular Cadets of that agency should look up to. Is it people like one Habibu Aliyu in Pension Section, or is it another Abdulrasheed Bawa of Subsidy Section, all have been compromised. What a shame and embarrassment to all the supposed and indoctrinated most senior Regular Cadets of the EFCC, who have made themselves “errand boys” and stooges to the senior policemen in the agency.

Also averred, is that the present leadership of the EFCC, is so dubious and cunning. This is due to the fact that they have refused to pay the Allowances and entitlements of their staff, yet the management of the anti-graft agency enbarks on series of secret/ disguised employment of their wards and associates. If we may ask, where do they intend to get the funds, which will be used to pay the salaries of those new staff. May be the leadership of the EFCC believes that the agency is their personal or family property/ organisation. Well, we leave that to this new federal government to unravel.

Dexterity, these were some of the issues which the previous leadership under Mrs. Farida Waziri had wanted to resolve, including the bearing of of Arms/ Weapons by the Operatives of the EFCC. As at now, it was ascertained that only the Zonal Head of Gombe Office, who took it upon himself to ensure that the Arms- Guard from among Regular Cadets of the EFCC, uses arms/ weapons as contained in the EFCC Act.

Today, investigations have also shown that the EFCC has permanent Staff of the agency, like the Current Commandant of its Academy, who is an LEA, Disciplined, Incorruptible, Credible and Reliable. Hence, he can be well entrusted with the Directorate of Operations in the agency, rather he is believed to be given an arms-leangth just to keep him far away from the illicit dealings of the present leadership of the anti-graft agency.

This goes a long way to justify why President Muhammadu Buhari MUST, as a matter of fact and saliently not allow the leadership of the EFCC to come from a Serving LEA, rather it should be a “Retired LEA or FORCE Personnel”.

God Bless Nigeria, amen…!!!



@mmfirdausi

mmfirdausi@gmail.com
Source
http://abusidiqu.com/the-hidden-corrupt-chameleon-in-efcc-by-mm-firdausi/

Hmmm! Can we get it right in this county with these set of people? How come we here a lot of funds being returned in recent time? Hope it's not a way to let them still remain in that agency?

PMB needs to investigate this as this is part of his campaign promises

The sure way out of corruption is fix the system, institutions and eliminate bureaucracy.

All the noise about probe and jail is all balderdash and playing to the gallery. You can only jail one or two but that is where it ends as that never nips corruption.

We must get back to the GEJ template. Fix our systems.... without that we will be pursuing the wind.

We are seeking our neighbours help on the fight against BH like GEJ did
We are pushing to take away subsidy like GEJ tried
On corruption, we have little options than fix our systems for a sustained fight. Governance aint noise.