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ON WATCH: EFCC exposed

By Stephen Davis
February 13, 2011 02:00AM

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) Chairman Farida Waziri must be
looking for somewhere to hide this week
following the release of confidential cables
from the US Embassy in London citing in
detail UK Foreign Office assessments of the
Nigerian Government in 2008 and 2009.

Michael Aondoakaa, former Federal Attorney
General and close associate of James Ibori,
is cited as keeping “Waziri on a very short
leash.”

A leaked US Embassy cable dated 17
November 2008 notes, “Former UK Chargé
in Abuja (and current FCO East and Central
Africa Group Head) James Tansley assesses
that Waziri will not pursue any corruption
cases that are not in the government’s
interests.” It seems from the cables that
“not in the government’s interests” means
contrary to the wishes of the cabal running
the Yar’Adua Presidency. This was alluded to
in this column on 19 December 2010, On
Watch: Soft on Corruption, in which I stated:
“The political playing is done by Chairman
Waziri deciding which reports to act on and
pursue to prosecution. And therein lies the
potential for mischief.”

One of the high profile cases Waziri
consistently backed away from was the
prosecution of former Delta State Governor
James Ibori who has been accused of
embezzling vast amounts of Delta State
funds while he was governor and
transferring it to the UK. UK authorities have
been keen to pursue legal action against
Ibori through the London courts but the
EFCC and former Attorney General
Aondoakaa have been less than helpful.
Aondoakaa, a close associate of Ibori, had
requested the British return evidence earlier
provided for the case.
Nuhu Ribadu, while head of the EFCC had
initiated an investigation against Ibori. A
successful prosecution against Ibori had
serious implications for those in the cabal
around President Yar’Adua. Pressure was
brought on Ribadu to drop the
investigation and when he would not
comply he was removed with a trail of
manufactured evidence sufficient to
provide the necessary pretext for his
dismissal.

Waziri replaced Ribudu as chairman of the
EFCC and quickly moved the case against
Ibori into slow motion. In one of the leaked
US Embassy cables Tansey “noted that it is
bizarre how frequently Waziri asks for
additional information on major cases,
details that she should already be familiar
with if she is ‘really digging into her
portfolio”.


The leaked US Embassy cable also noted that
“Waziri would prosecute small cases”
confirming the opinion that has also been
previously set out in this column on 05
December 2010, On Watch: Criminal
Protection, “Thus far the EFCC’s conviction
rate of “high profile cases” languishes in
single digits.”

In a further cable labelled CONFIDENTIAL
from the US Embassy in London dated 22
May 2009 the UK’s Serious Organised Crime
Agency (SOCA) Africa programme officer
Mike Davey noted “the EFCC’s reticence to
prosecute high-level political cases.” Waziri’s
stifling of the EFCC has become evident to
foreign crime fighting agencies.
On 19 September 2010, On Watch:
Corruption Undermines the Peace Process,
this column observed that EFCC Chairman
Waziri “is the insurance for the big men
who have flaunted Nigeria’s laws and
enriched themselves from state coffers thus
ensuring those in poverty remain in
poverty”.

Clearly the EFCC has been reigned in by
Waziri who holds total control on all key
operations in the EFCC. In the Yar’Adua
Administration she played the role of
protection for the tight cabal that ran the
Presidency. That cabal is falling apart rapidly
under President Jonathan. Waziri’s patrons
are increasingly being exposed. Ibori and
Aondoakaa are both facing prosecution.

The fact that the EFCC has been become
misdirected by Waziri is clear to both the US
and UK Embassy staff and in particular the
UK’s Serious Organised Crime Agency which
interacts frequently with the office of
Nigeria’s Federal Attorney General and
Nigeria’s crime fighting agencies. In this
respect the EFCC’s reputation has taken a
nose-dive under Waziri’s chairmanship and
with it has gone the view that Nigeria is
serious about fighting corruption. This is a
significant set-back for the Jonathan
administration which must now work to
repair the reputational damage of Nigeria’s
anti-corruption agency and demonstrate
that President Jonathan is very committed
to fighting corruption at all levels of
Nigerian society.

So one is drawn to ask why, after two and
half years of restraining the EFCC from
carrying out its responsibilities to the fullest
extent possible and frittering away the
EFCC’s hard won reputation for fighting
corruption without fear or favour, is Farida
Waziri still the chairman of the EFCC?

Abeg ask Oga "fresh air" . We should also ask why Jonathan ignored many distinguished senior law Practitioners of integrity to serve up incompetent Adoke as AGF . It is clear Mr. President preferred to go for his own Aondoakaa Judicial 'enforcer' rather than give a nation , deemed as having one of the most corrupt judiciary in the world , an AGF with undoubted integrity and uprightness.

The only reason She's still there is because PDP doesn't do business with clean people, been clean is enough to disqualify you for a post under the PDP lead government. More criminals are likely to occupy more sensitive posts like the office of the AGF if we don't do away with those hypocrite.

Hamid O:

The only reason She's still there is because PDP doesn't do business with clean people, been clean is enough to disqualify you for a post under the PDP lead government. More criminals are likely to occupy more sensitive posts like the office of the AGF if we don't do away with those hypocrite.

Indeed . Look at how Jonathan's 'pal' , Ringim, from his Bayelsa days became Inspector General of Police , in these troubling time for Nigeria security-wise , ahead of many Senior officer to him who had better academic qualifications and service records as Police officers . Disgraceful . Like you stated , the PDP does not deal with clean or upright folks. This is why the likes of Anenih, OBJ , Yuguda and co are right behind GEJ.

^^^ True talk, the same reason IBB is our president's role model. With a vibrant EFCC, inexperienced looters like Bankole won't be were they are today. God continue to bless RIbadu, the guy is a great man.

We cannot keep doing the same thing, the same way and then expect a different result. How long will Nigeria continue under the crippling grip of the PDP? Let us accept the truth; with the continued existence of the PDP in Aso Villa, this country will never attain any reasonable development. All we have been getting are increased promises (attractively packaged), but little or no results. Other political parties should be given the chance to take our dear nation where it rightfully deserves to be. Nuhu Ribadu is a man with a vision, and a clear plan to address the issues affecting this nation. His manifesto can show that he actually understands the real problems destroying our beloved nation. I stand for change!

The questions are many, but the answers we are getting a few, yet some are prepared to sell thier mothers for PDP.


Vote right, Vote out PDP

@POST

When did Nigeria become one of states in USA or geographical constituencies in UK? Although Nigeria sucks, it is still sovereign entity and must be respected by foreign spies parading as embassy staffers.

Dede1:

@POST

When did Nigeria become one of states in USA or geographical constituencies in UK? Although Nigeria sucks, it is still sovereign entity and must be respected by foreign spies parading as embassy staffers.

Seriously!? Your main issue with the article is that "spies" are not respecting our sovereignity? Since when did spies stick to that code? Anyway a spies main aim is not to be noticed so i consider the charge's comments to be a friendly pointer just as our ambassador to Saudi Arabia can make also make coments.

The fact still remains the same, Waziri and all other incompetent or "leashed" public servants should be thrown out to stop inhibiting our development. A whole commission setup to tackle corruption in NIGERIA does not have a high profile case every other week!? Puh'lease, gimme a break! Waziri should be thrown to the dogs.