Buhari’s Minister own $43m EFCC found in Lagos – Mike Ozekhome
Buhari’s Minister own $43m EFCC found in Lagos – Mike Ozekhome
Constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, says the millions
of Dollars, Pounds and Naira, found in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, among
other discoveries were meant to divert attention from the hunger, squalor,
fear, disease, non-performance and cluelessness of APC government, adding a
“serving Minister” owns the money.
He added that the recent developments are ploy to making sure that Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, remains in charge of the agency.
He added that the recent developments are ploy to making sure that Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, remains in charge of the agency.
The human rights activist made the claim in a statement
yesterday where he said that “the farcical story that National Intelligence
Agency NIA, Nigeria’s external secret Police has claimed ownership of the sum
of $43.4m, £27, 800 and N23.2m is total hogwash, bunkum and balderdash.
The discovery has generated controversy and finger-pointing,
with former governor of Rivers State now
Transport Minister being accused of owning the cash.
Former Aviation Minister, Femi
Fani-Kayode, has also weighed in, insisting that Amaechi come clean on
the matter.
Ozekhome, in his statement, said, “Let this government and
its minions credit Nigerians with some modicum of sense and capacity to reason,
even with their valiant attempts to cow, browbeat and intimidate all opposition
elements and critical voices in their so called corruption war.
“At least, not even the terror halo cast on our individual
and collective psyche has dulled our analytical minds.
“The entire theatricality and Baba Sala’s Alawada Kerikeri
buffoonery ought to be reserved for some circus show at the National Theatre or
Trafalgar Square, where comedians and humour merchants entertain.
“The emergent facts do not show NIA’s ownership of the
money, but grand cover-up of a serving minister’s ownership of the money.
“It is so, so sad that all these national diversions are
simply geared towards highlighting and emphasizing the omnipotence and
indispensability of just one man, Ibrahim Magu, as Executive Chairman of the
EFCC. We should build strong institutions, not strong individuals.
“Before Ibrahim Magu, there was a Nuhu Ribadu; there was a
Mrs Waziri: and there was an Ibrahim Lamorde. After Magu, there would still be
another EFCC Executive Chairman.
“All these so-called humongous recoveries of orphaned monies
are simply geared towards showcasing ineffable efficiency, effectiveness and
matchless proficiency.
“It simply doesn’t work that way. In the USA, wherefrom we
borrowed our presidentialism, the equivalent agency works silently behind the
scene, only seen, but never heard, except where it becomes absolutely
necessary.
“But, here in Nigeria, the EFCC engages in grotesque media
trial, hifalutin and shocking disclosures of orphaned monies whose destinations
after the media hype are never known.
“Where are all the alleged recoveries of are vast sums,
attached properties, etc, made by the EFCC, kept and how much are they?
“When asked this question by the Senate during screening,
Magu told a shocked and bewildered Nation he did not know!
“We seem now fixated to name, shame and humiliate Nigerians
with the paint brush of shame, odium, obloquy and denigration.
“How can about N15 billion be found in highbrow Osborne
Road, Ikoyi, by no means a back squalid street?
“How can a foreign arm of the Nigerian secret Police, the
equivalent of CIA, keep such hard currency in cash at an unguarded apartment,
tucked away with many other apartments in a block of flats, not in a separate
heavily fortified and fiercely guarded stand -alone building that has “keep
off” carefully imprinted on it?
“What was it meant for and who approved it and in which
budget?
“Who was the whistle blower that could identify that such
money was “hidden” in the bedroom in flat 7A, leaving out flat 7B, yet not
knowing who kept the money there or its ownership?
“Why was EFCC not pictured or videotaped going into the
apartment, before we suddenly saw an arranged “counting” of money?
“Is there no CCTV in such a highbrow wealthy society members
abode?
“Can we see the footages please? Only last week, N49m
orphaned sum was “arrested” at Kaduna Airport!
“Then, suddenly another sum of orphaned N448m was
“discovered” in an ownerless shop in Victoria Island.
“Who owned the plaza? Who sold there? Are there no CCTV
there? Can we see them please?
“The truth is that all these simulated ‘arrangee’
discoveries can only temporarily divert attention from the hunger, squalor, fear,
disease, not performance and cluelessness of this government.
“But, unfortunately, even lies have their expiry date. Truth
is inexorable, immutable and eternal.
“The chicken will finally come home to roost”
