There were fresh indications, at the weekend, that President
Muhammadu Buhari and his predecessor, Goodluck
jonathan may be set for anotherclash regarding the
recovery of stolen funds from the nation’s coffers, Sunday
Vanguard can reveal authoritatively.
The reason for this may not be unconnected with what a
source described as “the seemingly uncooperative
disposition of some of those who are believed have
siphoned funds from government coffers”.
The source added: “While some of those believed to have
been involved have had their accounts frozen, some have
lawfully been interrogated while confessions are being
extracted. There are enough grounds to believe that the
nature of discourse in the political sphere is creating an air
of audacity such that the recovery of looted funds is not
going at an encouraging pace in the face of overwhelming
evidence”.
Sunday Vanguard has been able to establish, through some
individuals saddled with the responsibility of ascertaining
and verifying some expenditure activities, that there were
some contracts merely awarded on paper and for which
payments were quickly made without corresponding jobs to
show for the contracts.
It was learnt that high levels of fraud were discovered in the
Ministry of Petroleum, Works, Nigerian Maritime and Safety
Authority, NIMASA and in the procurement of arms and
ammunitions for the prosecution of the war against Boko
Haram, just to mention a few.
Indeed, members of some of the committees that Buhari has
set up to ascertain the level of loss to the nation pointed out
that the scale of the stealing of public funds, especially in
the last days of the Jonathan administration, was so
monumental that those asking for a soft-landing for the
former president and his aides would be flabbergasted when
confronted with the scale of looting that took place.
And contrary to the earlier denial in some quarters that the
American government was in possession of documents
indicting most aides of the former President, it was
understood that Buhari was, in fact, handed some of the
documents relating to such during his visit to the United
States of America last month.
It was learnt that the intervention of some individuals,
including some African leaders, tended to suggest to Buhari
that he needed to give his predecessor soft landing; and
indeed, the President had agreed but on the condition that
the aides and ministers who looted the treasury must return
the funds to the coffers.
It was with a view to avoiding what another source
described as a public embarrassment for the erstwhile
leader, that Jonathan visited Buhari earlier in the month.
“The President advised Jonathan to prevail on his aides and
ministers to return all they looted to enable him have access
to funds with which to work. But the President became
angry when Jonathan’s men became adamant”.
Continuing, a member of one of the verification committees
told Sunday Vanguard: “Most of Jonathan’s men would
have been arrested by now, but the President was being
mindful of the nation’s democracy and, therefore, decided to
pursue the matter in a civil manner. In fact, it was for this
reason that the National Economic Council, NEC, decided to
set up a special committee to ascertain the areas concerned
and deal with it”.
One of Nigeria’s billionaires on the Forbes’ list of wealthy
individuals once lamented aloud that “the amount of money
that has been stolen from government coffers is too
much”. He went on: “The President would need to find very
creative means of ensuring that those who stole money
return such funds. Yes, some of them are already making
useful statements and confessing but the truth is that these
people are also connected. In court, they can stall
whatever cases are brought against them.
“Therefore, when you heard President Buhari admonishing
those in the legal profession not to shield people from the
law, it was a veiled reference to the possibility of some
people escaping justice using the courts. These people
have stolen a lot and having such money in the hands of a
few individuals in a country is dangerous. “Whatever the
President needs to do, either in consultation or confrontation
with his predecessor, the funds must be recovered”.
Initially, Sunday Vanguard learnt, it was not the intention of
Buhari to probe the immediate past administration but it
was gathered that the President became perplexed upon
discovering the level of looting perpetrated by some aides
and ministers of the former President, which a source at the
Presidency described as monumental.
And in order not to be accused of witch-hunting some
perceived political opponents, the Special Committee on
looted funds chaired by the governor of Edo State, Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole, recommended to the NEC to appoint
external auditors to thoroughly look at the books and tell
Nigerians their findings.
A source at the Presidency informed Sunday Vanguard that
any one indicted by the audit report will likely face
prosecution and that will be the first signal to the world that
the President is determined to fight corruption. According to
the source, “and from what we are hearing, many heads will
roll, powerful Nigerians may go to jail. After that, every
Nigerian will know that any attempt to steal even a pin, in
any ministry, will be at your own peril”.
In the meantime, a Presidency source reacted angrily,
yesterday, to the suggestion that recent visits by some
former presidents to Buhari could dissuade him from
pursuing the looters of the nation’s treasury.
The source pointed out that no individual or group could
distract the President from his resolve to recover Nigeria’s
wealth from plunderers.
“Look, let me make it clear this President is not one that can
easily be influenced by anyone to change his mind from
doing what he knows will benefit the country,” the source,
an official in The Presidency, said.
“Those who insinuate that the visit by two former presidents
to Buhari was to persuade him to stop the recovery of looted
funds do not seem to understand him.
“No individual or group can stop PMB from recovering the
stolen money from whoever is involved, no matter how
highly placed.”


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/stolen-funds-buhari-jonathan-may-clash-again/

GEJ is not worse than OBJ, IBB, ATIKU and of course ABDUSALLAM. Why single GEJ out?

Same story !

We hv bin hearing dis 4 a long time naah.

Billions

Ok

Initially, Sunday Vanguard learnt, it was not the intention of Buhari to probe the immediate past administration but it was gathered that the President became perplexed upon discovering the level of looting perpetrated by some aides and ministers of the former President, which a source at the Presidency described as monumental.

I've said this here in the past that the president's sudden change to probe Jonathan's administration may not be unconnected to discovery of large scale looting upon his assumption of office. Only a weakling will look on as if nothing happened.

christinie:
GEJ is not worse than OBJ, IBB, ATIKU and of course ABDUSALLAM. Why single GEJ out?

The looting and corruption under GEJ has no rival. He was not in charge and it's the more reason his was the worst of all.

Let them prove all the past leaders, not just GEJ alone.

PassingShot:


I've said this here in the past that the president's sudden change to probe Jonathan's administration may not be unconnected to discovery of large scale looting upon his assumption of office. Only a weakling will look on as if nothing happened.


The looting and corruption under GEJ has no rival. He was not in charge and it's the more reason his was the worst of all.

christinie:
Let them prove all the past leaders, not just GEJ alone.

It's practically impossible.

Easier to probe the immediate past regime which is the one that handed over to the current one.

Stupidity at it's peak. Unfortunately, the gullible ones will jump on the thread and condemn as usual. Same thing they have been doing for the past 100 days. The media is not the judiciary, neither is it the EFCC or ICPC. If these people have stolen all the monies we keep hearing all these noise about...simply do what is needed. Stop fighting your 'anti corruption war' online and in the newspapers.

All these clash and probe on paper is getting stale. Before we become conscious,four years has gone by. Politicians bobo-ing the mass since the pope was an alter boy.

Mr Azikwe Jona and his thievery Partner shud return their loot.They shud deport Diezani,Okonjo and oda walking with crutches thieves

I'm a strong supporter of Buhari, but all this I will prosecute, I will jail, I will deal with anyone who stole should stop.

They should start the probe, jail whoever is found guilty, recover the funds and set the country running....

Time is going...

.................Remember, Mike Okri said it that year that "Time na Money"


Caveat: Wailing wailers, don't get it twisted, I still prefer Buhari to Jonathan

christinie:
GEJ is not worse than OBJ, IBB, ATIKU and of course ABDUSALLAM. Why single GEJ out?

Jonathan had the powers to investigate or probe OBJ and Yaradua if he wanted. Since he didn't cos ordinary stealing they call it corruption, stop wailing about a president ready to recover all from thr last administration. No sensible government will want to go beyond the previous government.....the previous government should have probed the government it took over from if it knows there was serious corruption then. Letting it pass was endorsing corruption. This government does not endorse such...so u can wail all u like.

Alright and makes sense but....someone should PLS remind PMB Nigerians didn't vote him for corruption fight alone he should start to look at other areas too:health,agric,road networks.....Dude seem only interested in corruption war

christinie:
GEJ is not worse than OBJ, IBB, ATIKU and of course ABDUSALLAM. Why single GEJ out?

why didn't gej single out any of his own predecessors? Even with his relationship with obj

Although Baba might not be positively disposed to throwing Jonathan in jail, much as that is what he deserves, it would be the biggest disappointment not to have those criminal sidekicks of his do some lengthy time.

The sleaze under the man was so encouraged by him that you wonder if he was executing a vendetta against the country.

Such statements like-

1. They can insult me from head to toe, I don't give a damn.

2. What is all the corruption, corruption they talk about??

3. If any money is missing, America would know, it is their money.

4. Corruption in Nigeria is exaggerated.

5. If you put a goat with a yam, the goat must surely eat the yam.

6. Stealing is not corruption.

- all helped in no small measure to encourage thieves and would-be thieves to plunder the treasury.

Jonathan was nothing short of a disaster to this country, putting it mildly.

jayjam:
Alright and makes sense but....someone should PLS remind PMB Nigerians didn't vote him for corruption fight alone he should start to look at other areas too:health,agric,road networks.....Dude seem only interested in corruption war

Believe me, those other sectors you mentioned are in the horrible state they are today because of corruption. Fixing corruption would ensure monies appropriated to construct the roads and provide quality medicare, etc, are actually used to do other than what obtained in the past where such monies ended up in private accounts of some individuals.

When you make people understand stealing public funds attract dire consequences, rather than making statements which tend to encourage same (as listed out in my first post), you would have fixed 80% of naija's problems.

Chubhie:
All these clash and probe on paper is getting stale. Before we become conscious,four years has gone by. Politicians bobo-ing the mass since the pope was an alter boy.

Seeing your profile pic just made me smile.

Did you watch CNN last evening? A Mob Boss passed on and an elaborate burial ceremony was put together for him, one that got lots of tongues in government wagging. Red roses were being sprayed along the path of the motorcade from a chopper above while the theme song of Godfather was being played by a band.

The Government hated it, but the local news media appeared to love it.

#italians.

omenka:
Seeing you profile pic just made me smile.

Did you watch CNN last evening? A Mob Boss passed on and an elaborate burial ceremony as put together for him, one that got lots of tongues in government wagging. Red roses were being sprayed along the path of the motorcade from a chopper above while the theme song of Godfather was being played by a band.

The Government hated it, but the local news media appeared to love it.

#italians.

I missed it. dont actually do cnn save tis breaking news in realtime. Don't take most of those tongues wagging in government quarters serious cos most of them get their cuts in This Thing Of Ours. That Godfather theme is my ringtone. keeps one in perspective.

Chubhie:
I missed it. dont actually do cnn save tis breaking news in realtime. Don't take most of those tongues wagging in government quarters serious cos most of them get their cuts in This Thing Of Ours. That Godfather theme is my ringtone. keeps one in perspective.

You know, sometimes I wish I could be half as smart as that man.

Yes probe only GEJ for his failure to probe OBJ and atiku.
OBJ also failed to probe IBB but GEJ will be the scape goat of the new sheriff.

christinie:
GEJ is not worse than OBJ, IBB, ATIKU and of course ABDUSALLAM. Why single GEJ out?

Buhari and this his probe everyday yet he never catch any thief. Na Waooooooo

christinie:
GEJ is not worse than OBJ, IBB, ATIKU and of course ABDUSALLAM. Why single GEJ out?

I do not believe a sane person made the above statement.
Are you insinuating that no one should be investigated and prosecuted for any crime unless every single citizen that had ever been suspected of such crime is investigated and prosecuted?

The implication of such crazy statement is;
No armed robber must be prosecuted unless all other armed robbery case is prosecuted.

No traffic offender must be prosecuted unless all others that commited the same traffic offence is prosecuted.

No drug dealer or baron must be prosecuted because other major barons and dealers have not been investigated and prosecuted.

Is that your defense of Jonathan? Instead of you to vouch for his innocence, you are justifying his guilt.

We might has well shut down our court and abolish the judiciary, because it is impossible to catch and prosecute all criminals.

Are you even aware of the impact, the money stolen by Jonathan's Administration (allegedly) would have on your life? Do you know what can be achieve with the said sum? Buhari need money to run his government and he is trying to recover as much stolen cash as he cash to improve your life.

Niagarafall:
Buhari and this his probe everyday yet he never catch any thief. Na Waooooooo

Before you catch a thief, you must first probe and investigate to determine the facts and who is responsible for what, you then move to the prosecution stage, where guilt or innocence is determined by the courts. We are still in the preliminary stage of investigation. Criminal investigations do not take place in one or two months, it sometimes takes years or even decades.

omenka:
You know, sometimes I wish I could be half as smart as that man.

I've forgiven my old man for not been half as smart. I pledged myself ever since I came in contact with Don Corleone to learn and read him like the communist do communist manifesto.

ERODEDEAST:
This Regime should stop all this Nonsense and move on with its failure.

ode from the east. Every government should move on, thereby endorsing an encouraging corruption. someone as to tske the bull by the horn....unfortunate, Jonathan your hero will be the first casualty. I wonder how sane people will endorse corruption and people that stole their common weatlth in the name of ethnicity. spits

were they friends before neither they are enemy.

GEJ should be probed only when Buhari is ready to probe all the other past president's. You can pretend not to understand what I meant.

wirinet:


I do not believe a sane person made the above statement.
Are you insinuating that no one should be investigated and prosecuted for any crime unless every single citizen that had ever been suspected of such crime is investigated and prosecuted?

The implication of such crazy statement is;
No armed robber must be prosecuted unless all other armed robbery case is prosecuted.

No traffic offender must be prosecuted unless all others that commited the same traffic offence is prosecuted.

No drug dealer or baron must be prosecuted because other major barons and dealers have not been investigated and prosecuted.

Is that your defense of Jonathan? Instead of you to vouch for his innocence, you are justifying his guilt.

We might has well shut down our court and abolish the judiciary, because it is impossible to catch and prosecute all criminals.

Are you even aware of the impact, the money stolen by Jonathan's Administration (allegedly) would have on your life? Do you know what can be achieve with the said sum? Buhari need money to run his government and he is trying to recover as much stolen cash as he cash to improve your life.

Keep talking to the hands.

femicyrus:
Yes probe only GEJ for his failure to probe OBJ and atiku.
OBJ also failed to probe IBB but GEJ will be the scape goat of the new sheriff.

Define enwe for me

Standing5:
why didn't gej single out any of his own predecessors? Even with his relationship with obj

Keep it up with your propaganda

koboko69:

Jonathan had the powers to investigate or probe OBJ and Yaradua if he wanted. Since he didn't cos ordinary stealing they call it corruption, stop wailing about a president ready to recover all from thr last administration. No sensible government will want to go beyond the previous government.....the previous government should have probed the government it took over from if it knows there was serious corruption then. Letting it pass was endorsing corruption. This government does not endorse such...so u can wail all u like.