EFCC uncovers fresh looting • Waziri has failed —Gani

Abiodun Adelaja, Abuja and FRIDAY OLOKOR

Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri, yesterday said Nigerians holding public offices are using the global financial meltdown as a pretext to buy properties abroad with public funds.

advertisement

Waziri who made the disclosure during an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, said following the financial crisis, prices of property especially in the United States of America , USA , United Arab Emirates and other mortgage economies crashed, adding that the development has now availed the looters opportunity to acquire more property.

She said efforts to recover some of such property purchased with looted funds abroad were yet to produce the results as those countries involved were unwilling to cooperate with the Commission, saying they could not determine which of the properties were acquired with looted funds.

She said it had been hectic for her agency to nab looters of public purse, as according to her, some of them were using the money to build palatial homes in their respective villages, where access and possible confiscation have been extremely difficult.

"Because they build those mansions right there in their locality, it is difficult if not impossible to attempt to seize such property as villagers are likely to chase us out with clubs and knives.

"We have however established an intelligent unit to monitor those who loot public treasury to ensure a pro-active method of stopping them by all means from utilizing monies so looted before the long hands of law catches up with them’’, she added.

Her words: "It has not been easy since I took over as the chairman of EFCC, because of what we met on the ground. However, we will remain focused despite the challenges, I on my part can not be deterred by any sentiment because I am determined to succeed’’

She said the committee was set to re-introduce the Civil Asset Forfeiture Bill to the House of Representatives.

She said if it became law, the piece of legislation would make it easier for the commission to seize assets of convicts wherever they may be sited with much more ease.

Earlier in his remarks, chairman of the committee Hon Rabe Nasir, said the interactive session was to familiarize with management of the EFCC in furtherance of a better working relationship in the renewed zeal to boot out corruption in the Country.

Meanwhile, renowned constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gani fawehinmi (SAN) yesterday dismissed the incumbent leadership of Economic and Financial Crimes Commissioin (EFCC) as a disappointment, contending that it has failed to tackle corruption.

He argued that Mrs. Farida Waziri led Commission has failed to borrow a leaf from the embattled former chairman of the body, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu by courageously taking the graft was to the door step of prominent Nigerians.

"The performance of EFCC without Ribadu is nothing to write home about. Waziri has failed the people. The only way for the EFCC to regain its status, efficacy and credibility is for Ribadu to be restored as its chairman," Fawehinmi stated.

According to him the present predicament of Ribadu in the hands of the federal government amounts to "suppression, oppression, intimidation and inhuman treatment."

While calling for a probe of last Saturday" assault on Ribadu at the Nigerian Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru-Jos, Fawehinmi stressed that government has no choice than to apologize to him publicly.

"The federal government should apologise to Ribadu, he should be given his certificate while his demotion should be cancelled and immediately restored to his AIG status because he was due for promotion due to his excellent performance in EFCC," he added.

Fawehinmi recalled that Ribadu, while in EFCC brought respect to Nigeria before the international community adding that he has succeeded in changing Nigeria’s perception by the world.

In his word, nothing short of apology, reinstatement, restoration of his rank and position in EFCC would be accepted.

However, the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi announced that the present leadership has recorded 32 convictions in court and recovered over N10 billion from fraudsters between June and September 2008.