Nigeria unserious about anti-graft war – HRW

Bode George

The Human Rights Watch, in a new report on Thursday, said the country’s anti-corruption war had retrogressed. Specifically, the report says the graft war has been hindered by political interference and the country’s powerful politicians.

“Corruption is so pervasive in Nigeria that it has turned public service for many into a kind of criminal enterprise. Graft has fueled political violence, denied millions of Nigerians access to even the most basic health and education services, and reinforced police abuses and other widespread patterns of human rights violations,” the report says.

The cover of the report titled “Corruption on Trial? The Record of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” has a photograph of a smiling Chief Olabode George, celebrating his return from prison after completing a jail term for corruption.

The HRW report notes, “Waziri’s tenure has been a rocky one. Her many critics allege that she has been ineffective and incompetent; she has also been widely accused of having close relationships with corrupt political figures and of going slow on sensitive cases against powerful political figures.

“There is a widespread perception that while EFCC’s anti-corruption agenda under (Mallam Nuhu) Ribadu may have been politically selective, the work was nonetheless dynamic and effective - and that things have deteriorated considerably under Waziri.”

The body nevertheless berated both Ribadu and Waziri for not prosecuting former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili.

The HRW’s Researcher on Nigeria, Mr. Eric Guttschuss, said the duo of Ribadu and Waziri owed Nigerians an explanation on Odili’s case.

“The EFCC’s failure to prosecute former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili (in office from 1999 to 2007) stems from severe incompetence for which officials have failed to offer any plausible explanation,” the report says.

Guttschuss, while highlighting the content of the report, said Odili obtained a “stunning” court judgment from Federal High Court judge, Ibrahim Buba.

He said the judgment restrained the EFCC from investigating the finances of Rivers State and that of any state government, thus giving Odili a perpetual immunity from investigation.

He also said EFCC ignored the two available options of either appealing the ruling or proceeding to charge Odili and argue that the ruling could not be his basis for defence.

The report however added that the EFCC appealed Buba’s judgment in October 2008 but was yet to be heard up till when the HRW report was being written.

It observes that the EFCC has only convicted four nationally prominent political figures since its establishment and yet its funding has tripled since 2007 “without commensurate increase in the rate of new prosecution. Its annual budget grew from approximately $23m in 2007 to $60m in 2010.”

The report, however, gave higher mark to Ribadu while comparing the EFCC’s performances under him and Waziri.

Under both administrations, the report states that out of the 30 nationally prominent individuals, including 15 governors the EFCC had arraigned for corruption charges, but had secured four convictions, two under Ribadu, and two under Waziri.

It, however, notes that only the conviction of George under Waziri was secured without plea bargain.

The other three convictions of former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun; former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamiesegha; and former Edo State governor, Lucky Igbinedion, were through plea bargaining.

The HRW report admits that the commission, since its establishment in December 2002, “has publicly challenged the longtime ironclad impunity of Nigeria’s political elite - an accomplishment without precedent in Nigeria.”

According to the report, the EFCC “has made important progress in recovering assets that are the proceeds of crime,” amounting to $11bn, “of which $6.5bn has been recovered since Waziri took office in June 2008.”

The report, however, attributes some of EFCC’s “ineffective prosecution” to “Nigeria’s weak and overburdened judiciary.”

He called on President Goodluck Jonathan to fix the EFCC and refrain from political interference in its work.

“Bode George was released from prison in February 2011. Far from being treated as pariah because of his misdeeds, he was whisked from his jail cell to a lavish welcome ceremony attended by prominent ruling party politicians including former President (Olusegun) Obasanjo; the then Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel; and the then Minister of Defence, Ademola Adetokunbo,” HRW said in the report.

“President Jonathan should break from the bad practices of past administrations, publicly signal he will not perpetrate or tolerate interference in corruption cases and grant the chairperson security of tenure by amending the legislation that created the commission.”

still in need of some information? search this site:

LOVE THE ARTICLE ABOVE?
Receive Updates: subscribe to Imo Herald in a reader or sign up for Free Email Updates