₦airaland Forum

Muza:
i thought u had sense,i even agreed wit what u said until i read that part,then i knew u were a foolish bigot

Muza you are really funny.

romeo:
Lagos state needs money!! Way too many of it. And 5 days without collecting returns from BRT is not good bizness. Why not 25th and 1st? at least for a stipulated number of hours. Damn it.

Governor Raji Fashola is a smart business man. This decision is smart modern day business sense. In business at times you loose some to gain more.

The idea also sells as a positive advert for BRT, it will improve relationship between Lagosians and BRT. No doubt the revenue BRT will generate next year will definately be better that this year's because of this kind of gesture.

lagerwhenindoubt:
I will tell it as it is. NIGERIANS ARE NOT WORTH FIGHTING OR DYING FOR,  have governments not been toppled (in recent times) by the cries and actions of its people? yet we sit and complain all decade long. crying to God for a good leader as if we lived in the Isreal of yore.

Abiola died because he calculated (wrongly) that the soooo called mass support he got nationwide and on the lips (as usual) of many Nigerians meant they would file out to protest (come hail, come bullets) to support his mandate. for where.

what about Tai Solarin?  what about Soyinka (he has grown weary since the cause he fights for has no rebel) what about Gani.

NIGERIANS ARE THE PROBLEMS OF THIS COUNTRY,  simply sit watch and talk out of boredom.

My man you have said the painful truth we are truly not worth dying for at all. We are a spoilt people wallowing in the rut of suffer. Talk, talk and no actions. We are awaiting for a GOD sent miser to help us while we are not ready to help ourselves. As we lay our beds so shall we lie on it.

This Ribadu issue has really exposed how backward we are as a people and why the hope of moving this country forward will continue to dim.

Sorry, I do not mean to sound insultive just stating facts. Some people have criticised this young man citing that his fight was selective- agreed, but they have not been able to exonerate the victims of this "selective fight" of corruption.

People sit in front of their computers in the convenience of their houses fighting corruption in Nairaland as if that is the right way of doing it. They do not appreciate the enormity of this monster that have KILLED and still KILLING so many people till this very moment and even tomorrow.

When are hospitals are not working its because some people have diverted the funds meant to make it work, when people die in accidents majority die as a result of bad roads all because of corruption.

Most of our corrupt politicians are old and yet are still stealing. A young man came and did his best and yet some ingrates hiding under the umbrella of free speech behind their laptops and PCs and the power of disagreement to argue rubbish without facts.

I challenge them to come out opening and fight this monster, its everywhere they don't need to ask me where and how, they should just look around themselves.

For me and my household, we support the guy die! infact we have just registered our names in the SAVE NUHU RIBADU CAMPAIGN online petition by SERAP (Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project) on this link: http://www.petitiononline.com/he4e6789/petition-sign.html?

The fools  here think the fight is about Ribadu, he is just one man and cannot really do much but the IMPLICATION of his maltreatment we will definately suffer whether you are pro or anti Ribadu.

Its Xmas season again and Benin-Ore road is still bad killing innocent Nigerians everyday, I hope your Mike Okiro, Waziri Farida and Mike Aaandokaa (AGF) will help you! Nonsense!

Olaolufred:
My beloved brother, Eleven.

I respect your courage to show your feelings.

I want us to know that we are equal before God.

Even these menof God are also God's Children.

We only need to tolerate one another to have a great society.

Even when criticism, must be done, it must be with caution.

I love you all. Compliments.

Well said my man. Appreciate big time. Compliments of the season to you and your beloved family. One love.

Olaolufred:
HE HAS NOTHING TO DO IN ASO ROCK.

AGE WISE, HE IS AN ELDER STATESMAN.

HE CAN ONLY BE A PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER THAT IS IF THEY ARE READY TO HEAR.

EVEN PRESIDENCY IS TOO LOW FOR OYEDEPO WHO IS BABA'S SPIRITUAL SON.

SO, THEY COULD BE SPIRITUAL KINGMAKERS, AND ADVISERS.

AND THE BIBLE SANCTIONS THAT.

This kind of statements make me sad as a person and worst as a Nigerian. No man will EVER be bigger that this country. Please my man understand that!

This topic is really interesting and touchy no doubt because Nigerians have never really learnt to be free thinkers. We need to look at issues more realistically and not celestially.

The issues of man of GOD is seen as sensitive because of the high level of poverty in the country now and hopelessness with our government making the pastor (motivational speakers) hot in the market.

Nigeria is a typical example of the "poor man seeing himself wiser than the rich man" because to him the rich man is wasting money on useless projects which he spends for his personal comfort.

Someone here liken baba Adeboye to Macdonalds in term of success. Yes I agree but to some extent because both are lead players in their chosen line of business, papa Adeboye sells Hope to a hopeless Nigerians while Macdonalds sells food to hungry people. Both meet their consumers needs well, however the only difference is that while Macdonalds re-invest some of its capital in raw materials, Pastor Adeboye doesn't!

To liken baba to Martin Luther King that I DISAGREE 100% they are not comparable. MLK is visionary who sacrificed for the black race. He spoke the truth when it mattered most, he spoke against racism at a time when no one dare to speak. He did this to the detriment of his own life! and today the world celebrate him in US President-Elect Obama. Baba on his own part dines with our tomentors and even prays for them!

The only reverend that can be compared slightly with Martins Luther King in Nigeria now is Cardinal Anthony Okogie because of his perceived stands with the people.

Before you hate me. I go to church but I do so with my eyes and mind wide opened. Church and GOD exist is in my heart and not with the man on the pulpit.

Yellow card for Caragher. No shakings.

yellow card for Sagna. Na stupid guy im wan break Rena Leg. I love this ref  

Adebayor have just been sent out. Go Liverpool Go!

OMO IBO:
robbie keane's goal is world class.

You can say 10 times again my man. Get ready for a more exciting second half. LIVERPOOL will definately win this match.

U NEVER WALK ALONE- No be lie

Up LIVERPOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scores- Arsenal 1 - Liverpool 1

Boon to rule-of-law corruption: Igbinedion gets easy plea-bargain

Last View on Fri 19th December, 2008
Last Modified on Thu 18th December, 2008 12:17:05 pm
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara
SaharaReporters, New York

• No jail time
• Keeps billions in stolen funds
• Keeps vast properties

What is certain to become the new gold standard for setting free all corrupt former governors earlier charged with graft was established today in Enugu, where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) entered into a "plea bargain" agreement with the former governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion.

Mr. Igbinedion was charged with stealing up to N4.4 billion. But in the ruling given by a judge at the Federal High Court in Enugu, Mr. Igbinedion was fined only a paltry N3.5 million, with no option of jail time for the egregious crimes of looting the Edo State treasury for over 8 years.

In addition to the fine, Mr. Igbinedion would lose three properties to the Federal government. SaharaReporters had previously reported that a plea bargain was in the works, and that Mr. Igbinedion had struck a private deal with Mrs. Farida Waziri, the controversial EFCC chairperson, at the residence of her friend, Mrs. Matilda Kwashi in Abuja.

After SaharaReporters exposed the deal last week, Mrs. Waziri, through spokesman Femi Babafemi cried that there was a ‘plot’ to destroy the Yar'Adua regime by bringing down the EFCC leadership. He stated that this had to do with certain decisions to be taken by the EFCC. The outcry was aimed at forestalling embarrassment and public reaction to the corrupt plea bargain with Lucky Igbinedion would bring upon her poorly-managed agency.

Despite the advance report by SaharaReporters, but to further prepare the ground for today's deal, Mrs. Waziri, who manages a well-oiled and funded public relations machinery, went a step further to distribute cheques to families of a "Stock Exchange Fraud" worth N430 million. The truth is that the investigations to return the money to the families of the victims were already concluded by EFCC officials of the Nuhu Ribadu-led EFCC as far back as 2006. Ibrahim Magu, the former head of the Economic Governance Team started the investigations that were concluded before Yar'adua forcefully took over the EFCC. Magu was then transferred out of the agency and detained by the Inspector General of Police for weeks before a kangaroo panel of the IG suspended him from the Nigerian police.

By the plea bargain granted Mr. Igbinedion today, Mrs. Waziri has shamelessly gone full circle against her initial stance that it is wrong. In a press statement issued by Mr. Babafemi in announcing the arrest of Cement merchant, Mr. Cletus Ibeto, Babafemi wrote: "Also yesterday, Chairman of the commission, Mrs Farida Waziri, expressed opposition to plea-bargain strategy being used by the anti-corruption agency, saying it is wrong, and unhelpful in the crusade against corruption in Nigeria."

But the plea bargain offered Mr. Igbinedion is of the most illegal and dangerous variety, since according the EFCC act, a plea bargain option ought to follow conviction, but the Igbinedion offer violates this provision of the law. It will be recalled that in cases where the EFCC had engaged in plea bargain with past offenders, notably former IG Tafa Balogun and DSP Alamieyeseigha, they were made to lose all the properties and funds they were accused of stealing.

In Mr. Igbinedion's case, the first high profile plea bargain overseen by Mrs. Waziri, he is permitted to keep his N4.4 billion loot (which amounts to a federal award) and his famous multi-million dollar Abuja home which he was allowed to pass off as belonging to “daddy,” whereas funds directly stolen from state coffers were classified as security votes which he didn't need to account for, parties involved in the deal said.

As expect, Mrs. Waziri is jittery about the exposé that will follow this deal, especially after SaharaReporters carefully documented the Mercedes Benz bribe she accepted two weeks ago by the governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Godswill Akpabio.

The agency spokesperson is expected to issue a statement restating Mrs. Waziri “opposition” to plea-bargaining by claiming the EFCC will "appeal" the ruling it freely entered into. Today’s deal opens a huge can of works as other former governors charged for stealing now have a precedence for negotiating similar deals.

Analysts say the deal means, in effect, that even those governors in office today can steal as much as they wish, confident that when the time comes, they can offer kobo coin plea bargains for every million Naira the steal. They further say that the implication is that a lot of funds will be awarded these thieves who would then go further not only to lead a life of conspicuous consumption, but to complicate politics in Nigeria.

It is expected that Mr. Igbinedion will serve as a consultant to other corrupt governors as they take advantage of a weak EFCC to sneak to freedom, easy wealth, and political affluence.

OUR LAST STORY RELATING TO THIS SCAM
Corrupt Governors’ bonanza: EFCC to abandon “trial” plans, offer scandalous plea deals

Last View on Thu 18th December, 2008
Last Modified on Mon 15th December, 2008 10:07:11 am
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara
SaharaReporters, New York

Nigeria’s famous corrupt governors, beginning with Edo State’s Lucky Igbinedion, have a big Christmas bonanza coming to them, courtesy of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri. They will receive a plea deal that will enable them to avoid prosecution, enjoy their freedom, and keep most of what they stole while in office.

To begin with, sources say the EFCC leadership has "accepted" to withdraw charges against the former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion. Mr. Igbinedion was accused of stealing N4.4 billion from the coffers of Edo State between 1999 and 2007. When his immunity expired, the EFCC declared him wanted and was subsequently arrested after returning to Nigeria from an overseas trip.

The deal, which is being brokered by the chairman of the Police Service Commission, Parry Osayande, will enable Igbinedion to walk away with his vast properties, including palatial houses in Nigeria, the UK, USA, South Africa and Canada. And he will avoid jail time and be free to return to his lifestyle of leisure, travel and parties.

A source at the EFCC told SaharaReporters that the Mrs. Waziri wants to use the "plea bargain" with Igbinedion to test the waters before employing the same tactic to free all of the former governors facing trial. The source said Mrs. Waziri does not plan to try any more former governors because she has compromised herself sufficiently irreparably at their hands.

As expected some EFCC officials are kicking against the plea deal with Igbinedion. Some of them who spoke to SaharaReporters anonymously at the weekend said that Mr. Igbinedion was the person who made the proposal to the EFCC. They said that Mr. Igbinedion’s proposal, described by an analyst as a “slap on the wrist for a slap in the face of the people of Edo State,” includes paying a N250 million—a fraction of his loot—over 10 years, and forfeiting one of his smaller houses in Benin City.

It would be recalled that in the cases of former governor DSP Alamaieyeseigha, EFCC prosecutors made him forfeit all his properties in Nigeria and the UK, and the same applied to former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun.

But under Mrs. Waziri's plea deal, Mr. Igbinedion will retain all of his properties and an additional N4.1 billion including his properties all over the world. Apart from the N4.4 billion naira directly pilfered from Edo State, Mr. Igbinedion and his Delta State counterpart, James Ibori had converted funds belonging to Delta and Edo states (which formerly made up Bendel State), to purchase shares from Nigerian AFRIBANK.

Although the EFCC forced the two governors to return the shares to the coffers of their respective States, SaharaReporters has learnt that the Delta State government did not properly convert the shares back. Attempts at finding out what became of the shares have been stalled by the current chairman of Afribank, Osa Osunde, a well known front for Mr. Igbinedion.

Source: http://saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=793

reality4us:
Check out this link for Akunyili's impression of her appointment as Information and Communication minister.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200812184533762

“we will tell the truth at all times” but with responsibility, Dora Akunyili

This quote by her is just a soft landing for the future. She is begining to sound like Government. The "truth" I doubt if she will be able to say that again.

I think she should not make the same mistake Nuhu Ribadu made when the world expected him to resign soon as it became obvious baba was using him and today his supporters are divided over his current travails inspite of his tall achievements.

Muza & Crea8tivy see another of your favourite delight from DAILY INDEPENDENCE enjoy!


EFCC Threatens To Place el-Rufai On World Watch List

By Alexandra Mede, Snr Correspondent, Abuja

Former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nasir el-Rufai, may be placed on world watch list by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if he fails to show up by Friday to answer allegations levelled against him.
An EFCC official told Daily Independent on Tuesday that the two weeks of grace given to him on December 1 expired on Monday.
The EFCC had issued the ultimatum after el-Rufai repeatedly failed to honour invitations to explain his alleged involvement in economic crimes and abuse of office in the sale of government houses in 2005.
"We have extended the ultimatum to the end of the week after which we will watch list him," the source confirmed.
The EFCC disclosed early this month that el-Rufai sent in his lawyer with a letter requesting that all questions be communicated through the lawyer.
But the Commission declined the request and insisted that he appears in person or faces the consequences.
He is also being asked to account for the balance of N32 billion in the sale of government houses in Abuja and all funds collected by the Satellite Towns Development Agency as well as Abuja Investments and Property Development Company.

Source: http://www.independentngonline.com/news/tfpg/article03

Imagine EFCC,s defence in this present day Nigeria. Where did they pick this Femi Babafemi guy from and how old is he? This line of defence is too old for GOD sake. He should just shut up and spare us the insults. Rubbish!

‘Yar’Adua’s foes target EFCC’

By Olusola Fabiyi and Olufemi Adeosun
Published: Wednesday, 17 Dec 2008
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has raised the alarm on alleged plans by some members of the commission and outsiders to discredit the anti-graft war of President Umaru Yar’Adua administration.

The commission, in a statement made available to one of our correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday, alleged that the plot was actually targeted at the commission with the aim of getting back at the President.

According to the statement, which was signed by the Head, Media and Publicity of the Commission, Mr. Femi Babafemi, it alleged that an unnamed businessman was behind the plot.

The commission, however, did not say the basis with which the alleged discreditation would be based on.

The statement reads, “The EFCC wishes to alert the public of the clandestine plans by some disgruntled individuals to discredit the anti-graft commission.

“Though there have been similar attempts in the past, but the latest plot is targeted at the administration of President Yar’Adua, who only last week, charged the EFCC to go after the corrupt with vigour.

“It is the belief of those behind the plot that by discrediting EFCC which is the engine room of the nation’s fight against graft, they would have succeeded in weakening the Yar’Adua administration’s renewed bid to take the war against graft to the doorsteps of the corrupt.

“To achieve this, some of these elements have begun moves to launch series of attacks against the Commission and its leadership with the aim of discrediting its line of actions in the weeks ahead.”

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200812171017270

Farida Waziri Desperate To Deflect Probe Into Her Corrupt Activities

Last View on Wed 17th December, 2008
Last Modified on Tue 16th December, 2008 9:50:04 pm
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara
SaharaReporters, New York

In a desperate effort to ward off a probe into her corrupt activities, Mrs. Farida Waziri has sent out an alarm through the Nigerian local media about a phantom plot to discredit the Yar'adua regime by first discrediting the EFCC.

Mrs. Waziri's antics were aimed at diverting attention from a series of detailed reports by our investigators who have uncovered details of her life of profligacy and her acceptance of illicit monetary and material gifts from people who are current or potential targets of the EFCC’s investigation. Her corrupt enrichment has upset some agents of the EFCC who are releasing information about what one of them described as “madam’s embarrassing closeness to some of the people we are investigating – or should.”

Mrs. Waziri's self-serving alarm comes on the heels of discreet questions about her style being raised by a few members of the Yar'adua regime troubled at our revelations. A source told SaharaReporters that these insiders are advising Yar’adua not to ignore various acts of corruption reported against Mrs. Waziri.

In the midst of such pressure on Yar’adua to take a look at Mrs. Waziri’s indiscretions, our correspondents learned today that some EFCC agents close to Mrs. Waziri's EFCC squad had collected a large sum of money from Mr. Francis Edemobi, the younger brother of Dr. Dora Akunyili. Akunyili, the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), was recently cleared by the Senate as a ministerial nominee.

An investigation by our correspondents indicated that Dr. Akunyili had asked Mrs. Waziri to investigate the EFCC agents’ scamming of her brother, but Mrs. Waziri demurred. In frustration, the NAFDAC head took up the matter with Yar'adua who in turn asked the SSS to look into the issue.

One of our source said part of Mrs. Waziri’s strategy is to scare off critics of her poor handling of the anti-corruption agency by equating their questioning of her methods and lifestyle to a larger plot to undermine the equally insecure and unpopular Yar'adua government.

“Madam is capitalizing on the insecurity of the Yar'adua regime to scare everybody from even looking at her,” said a source within the PDP who is close to her.

Waziri has been ostracized by the EFCC’s erstwhile international partners. Speaking off the record, one European Union official in Abuja said the EU was dismayed to see Waziri’s “deliberate weakening of the agency’s anti-graft impetus.”

The US is off-limits to her and the London Metropolitan Police have virtually cut off all links with her agency. Earlier this week, three US senators wrote a strongly worded letter to Yar'adua asking him to make fresh commitments to fight corruption. Privately, an aide to one of the senators told our correspondent that, with Mrs. Waziri as EFCC chair, “a commitment to fighting corruption will be a tall order.”

Two EFCC agents told us that Mrs. Waziri was increasingly using a parallel structure outside of the EFCC to conduct the agency’s business. “These structures have largely engaged in corruption,” one of them said.

Mrs. Waziri even created a so-called “civil society” arm within the EFCC. Some of the extra-curricular groups were involved in distributing EFCC invitations to the failed " National Anti-Corruption Revolution [ANCOR]" seminar she organized last week.

One EFCC agent told us that the seminar was a waste of money by an agency that has reduced the crusade against corruption to “periodic press statements decrying corrupt acts, even as Madam parties at night with the men we should be dragging to court.”

The seminar was so inept and lackluster that most Nigerian newspapers tucked the event into inside pages, even though Yar'adua was in attendance

Source: http://saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=791

Muza:
the only problem i had with ribadu is not obeying orders,he is a police officer he has to obey orders.If can't it will be better for him to resign hornorably.
Until he starts obeying orders i will continue to point this out.
The guy fought corruption even though selectively.Atleast we give him the credit.


But the waziri woman i making me sick,as old as she is she is getting involved in all kinds of scandals.
At her age what will she do with all that money.
She is not even making effort to fight selectively,she has killed the fight comletely.
During ribadus dayz people fidget at the mere mention of the word EFCC,they always move around watching their backs.
but today EFCC is an embarassment.
My lawd!
this people will not finish well  

My man you couldn't have said it better. EFCC now an embarrassment is totally finished .

mrbargains:
Checkout http://www.myafricanbargains.com,if you are in Europe or North America

Thank my man. Actually looking for where to buy it in Nigeria. I have searched so many places without luck. Will keep trying. Thanks.

nobody fit help here. Na wa O!

This Farida woman self. Na wa for her. What does she want to do with all that wealth at her age. Na Nigerians go save Naija. Useless people!

Corrupt Governors’ bonanza: EFCC to abandon “trial” plans, offer scandalous plea deals

Last View on Mon 15th December, 2008
Last Modified on Mon 15th December, 2008 10:07:11 am
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara
SaharaReporters, New York

Nigeria’s famous corrupt governors, beginning with Edo State’s Lucky Igbinedion, have a big Christmas bonanza coming to them, courtesy of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri. They will receive a plea deal that will enable them to avoid prosecution, enjoy their freedom, and keep most of what they stole while in office.

To begin with, sources say the EFCC leadership has "accepted" to withdraw charges against the former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion. Mr. Igbinedion was accused of stealing N4.4 billion from the coffers of Edo State between 1999 and 2007. When his immunity expired, the EFCC declared him wanted and was subsequently arrested after returning to Nigeria from an overseas trip.

The deal, which is being brokered by the chairman of the Police Service Commission, Parry Osayande, will enable Igbinedion to walk away with his vast properties, including palatial houses in Nigeria, the UK, USA, South Africa and Canada. And he will avoid jail time and be free to return to his lifestyle of leisure, travel and parties.

A source at the EFCC told SaharaReporters that the Mrs. Waziri wants to use the "plea bargain" with Igbinedion to test the waters before employing the same tactic to free all of the former governors facing trial. The source said Mrs. Waziri does not plan to try any more former governors because she has compromised herself sufficiently irreparably at their hands.

As expected some EFCC officials are kicking against the plea deal with Igbinedion. Some of them who spoke to SaharaReporters anonymously at the weekend said that Mr. Igbinedion was the person who made the proposal to the EFCC. They said that Mr. Igbinedion’s proposal, described by an analyst as a “slap on the wrist for a slap in the face of the people of Edo State,” includes paying a N250 million—a fraction of his loot—over 10 years, and forfeiting one of his smaller houses in Benin City.

It would be recalled that in the cases of former governor DSP Alamaieyeseigha, EFCC prosecutors made him forfeit all his properties in Nigeria and the UK, and the same applied to former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun.

But under Mrs. Waziri's plea deal, Mr. Igbinedion will retain all of his properties and an additional N4.1 billion including his properties all over the world. Apart from the N4.4 billion naira directly pilfered from Edo State, Mr. Igbinedion and his Delta State counterpart, James Ibori had converted funds belonging to Delta and Edo states (which formerly made up Bendel State), to purchase shares from Nigerian AFRIBANK.

Although the EFCC forced the two governors to return the shares to the coffers of their respective States, SaharaReporters has learnt that the Delta State government did not properly convert the shares back. Attempts at finding out what became of the shares have been stalled by the current chairman of Afribank, Osa Osunde, a well known front for Mr. Igbinedion.

Source: http://saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=790

Please any one can help with information on how to get Majek's 1st Album- Prisoner of Conscience. Been looking for it since ages now. HELP!!!!!!

Could Saharareporters be right this time around? I know they have been very, very accurate with thier stories ever since I heard of them, but this story if it is really true then Nigerians are in for HELL big time. May GOD help us.

You can get pictural evidence by clicking the source link. Poor Nigeria. 

“Mercedes Jeep” Bribe: EFCC Chair Plans Arrest of Supplier, as EFCC’s international image plummets

Just as more details of Mrs. Farida Waziri’s black Mercedes Benz GL 450 bribe reached SaharaReporters, our investigators have discovered a plan by the EFCC chairperson to arrest of the vehicle supplier, Mr. Charles Ahize in an attempt to divert public attention from the scandal.
After SaharaReporters revealed that Mrs. Waziri received the bribe of a Mercedes Benz worth $500, 000, she has worked the phones harassing persons she suspected might have leaked the information to SaharaReporters, including the source of the “gift,” Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State. Last week, the governor sent a tepid rejoinder to SaharaReporters through one of his aides, Usoro Usoro.

Shortly after we received Akpabio’s rejoinder, we contacted the EFCC spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who immediately expressed what he said was his ‘disappointment’ with SaharaReporters for publishing a story he claimed was untrue. Asked to explain how he knew that a vehicle delivered to Mrs. Waziri’s house in Gboko did not exist, especially as we published the Chassis code number of the vehicle, Mr. Babafemi disingenuously stated that he was a crime reporter before he became the EFCC spokesperson and as such would have known if “Madam received a bribe”. We then challenged Mr. Babafemi to do a rebuttal based upon his claims, but none has come several days later.

Meanwhile, SaharaReporters has reliably gathered that Governor Akpabio’s automobile bribe was supplied to Mrs. Waziri through a notorious auto-dealer, Charles Ahize (a.k.a Charles Aproka). Mr. Ahize is the CEO of Atlantic Automobiles with locations in Lekki, Lagos, as well as Abuja. He also heads a South east regional organization known as “OBIGBO.” Mr. Ahize, who is extremely close to former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia, Inspector General of Police Mike Okiro, Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa as well as Governor Ohakim of Imo State, is a well-known supplier of luxury-cars to politically visible persons nationwide.

According to our sources, Ahize was personally involved in the delivery of the GL 450 armored SUV to the Akwa Ibom Lodge in Abuja. He first drove the car to a nightclub in Abuja known as Tukano, on a Friday evening. He later headed for Makurdi, where he attended a reception organized by Aondoakaa for Governor Goje of Gombe and his Taraba counterpart Danbaba Suntai. Both men were “honored” by a university in Benue. It was not clear if the GL 450 SUV was part of his six-car convoy to Aondokaa’s party.

On his return to Abuja after attending Aondoakaa’s reception, Ahize took the car to the Akwa Ibom Lodge where Mrs. Waziri’s driver took it over on December 3rd 2008. The driver then delivered the car to her GRA home in Gboko, Benue State, near Tilley Gyado Hotel. The driver returned to Abuja where the Personal Assistant to Mrs. Waziri, her blood brother, Yisa Terfa Moses, took over the vehicle’s paper work. He gave Mrs. Waziri the papers at the house of her close friend, Mrs. Matilda Kwashi, a convenient location where she meets with politicians to receive kickbacks. Mrs. Kwashi is a former chief caterer to the State House. A source at the house told SaharaReporters that Mrs. Waziri got drunk there as she celebrated the gift of the car. Her joy was cut short during her visit to Lagos where she received the news that SaharaReporters had blown the cover of the Mercedes Benz GL 450 bribe.

She returned to Abuja for the long Sallah holidays, carefully avoiding Gboko, where efforts were made to hide the car from agents of the State Security Service who were said to be on its trail.

Incensed that the automobile bribe was leaked to our reporters, Mrs. Waziri planned to arrest Ahize. However, IGP Mike Okiro advised her against the move, stating that it could open a can of worms. Even so, sources close to Mrs. Waziri told us that she was still considering arresting Ahize “to pre-empt further revelations about the vehicle.” If she carries out her threat, it would be reminiscent of her detention of controversial London-based Terry Waya, whom she accused of representing himself to some governors as her agent who could “kill their case files at the EFCC.” Mr. Waya was released after SSS men cautioned him not to speak to the media about shocking text messages retrieved from his mobile phone. Text messages that were frequently exchanged between Waya and Mrs. Waziri sometimes at odd hours even though she claimed there weren’t close.

Saharareporters has learnt that the house to which the Mercedes Benz was delivered has a history that tells on Mrs. Waziri’s tainted background as a former head of the “Special Fraud Unit” (SFU) of the Nigerian Police Force. A reliable source told us that the house was built for her by a former “419” kingpin known as Jime Joseph Akaakar (aka JJ Akaakar). Like Mrs. Waziri, Akaakar is of Tiv ethnic identity.

Our source revealed that Akaakar met and formed a relationship with Mrs. Waziri while she held sway at the SFU in Lagos. Akaakar reportedly defrauded former Lobi Bank (owned by the Benue State Government) of hundreds of millions of naira using fake Central Bank of Nigeria instruments. His heist hastened Lobi Bank’s failure in the 1990’s. When the police, under the command of Mrs. Waziri, arrested Akaakar she aided him to escape to the UK, but he soon returned to Nigeria, afraid of being arrested in the UK. Upon his return to Nigeria, Akaakar was picked up by the police again and detained for 30 months while he awaited trial. During his so-called detention, Mrs. Waziri made sure Akaakai did not spend a day in jail. She put him in a room at the Police Medical Center in Falomo, Lagos on the pretext that he was “chronically” ill. Instead of staying in Ikoyi prison, Akaakar enjoyed freedom guaranteed by Mrs. Waziri to the extent that he was allowed to stray into Ikoyi Club to have fun. Attempts to rehabilitate Akaakar stated with Mrs. Waziri’s friend, ex-governor, George Akume who appointed Akaakar as a “Special Assistant for Chieftancy Affairs” towards the end of his tenure. Akume gave him a Peugeot 604 car before leaving office. Akaakar current lives in Gwarinpa Estate in Abuja in the home given to him by his brother, a retired director of Federal highways, Engineer Jime Akaakar.

SaharaReporters gathered that Akaakar is currently working with Mrs. Waziri to get owners of checks she claimed had expired to come forward and claim them. Akaakar is shopping on Mrs. Waziri’s behalf to take kickbacks from the owners of checks left behind as exhibits by the former EFCC crew, even though she had already claimed that she doesn’t have any records of the owners of the seized checks. Mr. Akaakar is also reportedly embarking upon the renovation of the house he built for Mrs. Waziri in the early 90’s when he blossomed as a career economic criminal.

According to law enforcement agents who have worked with the EFCC in the past, Mrs. Waziri’s EFCC is so discredited internationally that she has resorted to spending EFCC funds on “special consultants” with dubious backgrounds to serve the EFCC on the international front. Her so-called consultants include a former Metropolitan Police officer known for his dubious dealings in the UK. Almost all European nations have ceased dealing with the EFCC on account of what one Western diplomat described as “Mrs. Waziri’s poor track record and seeming lack of seriousness in prosecuting the war on graft.” Local anti-corruption groups speak about Mrs. Waziri penchant for fraud and her brazen and increasingly open fraternization with corrupt elements, including former and serving governors as well as the family of disgraced military dictator, retired general, Ibrahim Babngida.

A source within the EFCC told SaharaReporters that the EFCC chair “now relies heavily on the reports of her hired hands to generate information.” Her well-paid “consultants” feed her spurious information gathered from such cheap online websites as US-based Intelius.com and UK-based 192.com. “They tell her that what they gather is ‘solid intelligence’ on the international dimensions of money laundering in Nigeria,” said one official of the EFCC who is disenchanted by Mrs. Waziri’s style and corrupt image.

The source told SaharaReporters that Mrs. Waziri’s recent alarm that corrupt Nigerians were now buying houses abroad in large numbers was based on dubious reports generated online by her “consultants.” She relied on such reports generated by one Victor Uwajei, an Ibori acolyte, as the basis for the agency’s recent claims that former EFCC chairman Nuhu Ribadu owns houses in San Bernadino and Colton, both cities in San Bernadino County in California. Based on such worthless reports, Mrs. Waziri planted stories in several Nigerian newspapers to the effect that Ribadu owns expensive real estate in the US. Last week, both Newswatch and the SOURCE Magazine published addresses of homes allegedly owned by Ribadu.

SaharaReporters checked on the public records of the addresses given on the pages of the publications as Ribadu’s homes. Our investigators found conclusive proof that the stories were nothing short of ineptly packaged propaganda aimed at street level news consumers who would accept anything with the label of "Interpol" as gospel truth in Nigeria.

Our investigations found out that the reports rehashed by several Nigerian publications as “the preliminary findings of the Interpol” were downloaded pages from a simple search on the US-based Intelius.com and the UK website 192.com. The two sources are simple data websites that offer “fast-food” type information on individuals who live in the West – especially the US and the UK. Anybody with Internet access can go to the Intelius website and type in “Fatima RIBADU” and receive her address in San Benardino and Colton with the zip codes referenced in Nigerian newspapers. Armed with a credit card, anyone can purchase Fatima Ribadu’s address in the US. Intelius reports offer such data as old and current addresses, average income, age and the average home value of the subject’s address whether the subject of a search owns the property or simply rents it. It also lists the names of a search subject’s relatives.

As can be seen from the above information, “Fatima Ribadu” lives with a number of people at the addresses above, which were listed by several Nigerian newspapers as belonging to Nuhu Ribadu. Yet, it is clear that she is a 30-year old female possibly living with her husband and kids in San Bernadino. Any searcher could then go further by checking on her name at the San Bernadino county property information page on their website < http://nppublic.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/newpims(S(tzyqvsrrkzrxi4iphy00rj45))/PimsInterface.aspx>. When we did the search, we discovered that there is a "Maryam Ribadu" whose name appears in the inactive search does not own the house in San Bernadino. She possibly rents the apartment at STERLING PARKS APARTMENTS but INTELIUS does not make a distinction between owners and renters when it provides information on occupants of a home.

Our Internet search also revealed that there are close to 20 Ribadus in the US alone using www.zabasearch.com. Yet, a mischievous Mrs. Waziri has used some publications to publish all their names and properties as belonging to her predecessor. Nuhu Ribadu. The SOURCE used such unreliable data to give the impression that everyone in the UK named “IGBINEDION” was holding properties for former Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo state.

Regarding the houses in London ascribed to "Fatima Ribadu," our investigators discovered it is also a huge lie. Fatima Ribadu, a 23-year-old college student according to our published finding, does not OWN the property at 23 Woodlea Lane, Leeds, UK. See also: [url]http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/? id=780[/url]

As we reported earlier, her husband, Mohammed Dodo, purchased the property in his name, the land title also has a housing loan information attached. Professional reporters from the Nigerian press could easily have obtained the information independently from the UK Land registry website for 3 pounds sterling. It is obvious that Fatima Ribadu (30) of San Bernadino County and Fatima Zarah Ribadu (23) of Leeds UK are two different individuals.

SaharaReporters could not investigate the Dubai property ascribed to Nuhu Ribadu since that emirate’s real estate records were not available for access. Two self-styled anti-corruption lawyers (Charles Ogboli and Ugochukwu Ogbuagwu) have sued Nuhu Ribadu before a Federal High Court in Abuja regarding the Dubai property. They claim that Nuhu Ribadu bought and paid for the property in cash. Once again, several Nigerian newspapers claimed that the properties belonged to “Fatima Ribadu” and that the “INTERPOL” was now investigating her. Yet, Mr. Femi Falana, who is defending Ribadu in the case, told us that that the two lawyers have not filed any new evidence in court regarding the case, except for a computer generated photograph that the SOURCE magazine published as evidence.

One EFCC source regretted that “the overall effect of these blunders is to underline the incompetence of the current EFCC leadership.” The agency now relies on self-styled “anti-corruption activists,” “consultants,” and sections of the media, many of them owned by former governors indicted for corruption” or, in the case of SOURCE, by Comfort Obi, a member of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

The commission has been hounding Ribadu through demotion and an ongoing effort to fire him from the police.

Some of the same elements, sponsored by the Yar’adua regime, have taken newspaper adverts first in The Nation and LEADERSHIP newspapers claiming that Omoyele Sowore of SaharaReporters owns several properties in New York and New Jersey. For “evidence,” they list four addresses in the two states – in the exact order provided by INTELIUS. One of the buildings, 547 Riverside Drive, New York, is a Columbia university student hostel.
Several EFCC agents told our correspondent that Mrs. Waziri’s desperate measures are a preemptive response to our revelations about her corrupt activities, including what one agent described as her direct pilfering of EFCC funds. “Several EFCC officials are mobilizing to mount an internal resistance to her poor leadership,” said one source. He said agents were scandalized that Mrs. Waziri pays a hefty compensation for the useless information she receives from Mr. Uwajaei. In addition, Uwajaei carries EFCC letterheads and a letter of attorney from Mrs. Waziri.

Recently, Mrs. Waziri’s spokesperson, Babafemi, announced that the EFCC had recovered $5.6 billion since she assumed office. We immediately sought details from Babafemi about the “recovery,” requesting specifically how such a huge amount was recovered without any form of prosecution by the EFCC. We sought to know if Mrs. Waziri had created a “plea bargaining unit” for economic and financial criminals that excludes the courts. Mr. Babafemi promised to get the details of the recoveries from the agency’s Lagos office where he claimed the bulk of the recoveries were made from, in his words, “419 people.”

One week after the promise to provide details, we called him again, but he said our publication was too critical of the EFCC leadership, hence a decision not to provide any further “assistance” with the information. He complained about our expose on the Mercedes Benz, arguing that Mrs. Waziri did not need a bribe from Governor Akpabio because the Akwa Ibom state governor was not under “investigation.” Reminded that there are at least six petitions against the governor before the EFCC, Mr. Babafemi backed off. He had not said there were no petitions, he told us, only that there were no ongoing investigations against the governor.

Source: http://www.saharareporters.com/Waziri_Jeep_Scandal.php

This thread is those of us who are currently sad and highly pissed with the way the Anti-Corruption war in Nigeria is currently being fought. You can let out your steam here.

Why Ribadu shunned Police Panels
Written by VANGUARD
Saturday, 13 December 2008

Embattled former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu shunned several panels set up by the Police high command to hear him respond to charges of insorbudination because he felt that it was unnecessary to do so since he was also challenging his demotion in court.

A source close to him told Saturday Vanguard Thursday that police high command was desperate to nail him for nothing and since they could not find anything to wrap around him they have resorted to desperate measures .

The source said that the same police command that has not paid him for six years is now desperate to discipline him. “ you won’t believe that the man has not earned a kobo from the police in six years. He did not earn a dime from the police for the five years he was with the EFCC and sice he left the EFCC about a years ago. That is the truth.”

The source said that the powerful corrupt elements in the country that are fighting him now are very powerful people that “is why they would stop at nothing until they get him.

“This is a man that secured over 200 convictions for the EFCC, that brought credibility to the country instead of the same country to decorate him with garlands they are persecuting him.”

The source said that issue of his appearance before the so-called disciplinary committee should not have raised such a storm in the first place because the man-{Ribadu} had said that he disagreed with his demotion what is he going to say to the committee?

What rank would he wear to meet the panel. People should know that Nuhu is desperate to end the matter that was the reason he went to the Ecowas court that has the same jurisdiction with the Federal Hight court.

When Nuhu sensed that judiciary workers were on strike he quickly rushed to the Ecowas court that has the same jurisdiction with the Federal high court.

On whether the former EFCC chairman actually went on exile, the source said that there was never a time he went into exile. It was not true that he went into exile.

“ That is not to say that he has ruled it out completely. If it means that it is the the only he can save his life he would go on exile. “Why not? If it is the only option left he would have to go he would do it.

“Fighting corruption is not easy. It is not a tea party. Can you believe that they are punushing him for going to court? It is unbelievable. A man fought so hard to eradicate corruption in the country yet they are hounding all over the place like a common criminal. Despite his troubles Nuhu still believes in this country believe it or not. He still does.”, the source said.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/23969/42/

Just as I thought. Well no long thing.

Today is the deal day. Have a sad feeling the Judgement will go to useless PDP