WHY NO SOUTHERNER HAD HEADED EFCC AS CHAIRMAN IN 21 YEARS

By Emeka Amaefula

The coming into political space of an ombudsman body that will check the activities of political office holders and every other citizen and resident in Nigeria in line with extant laws and their compliance necessitated the establishment of Economic and Financial Crime Commission-EFCC first Enacted in 2002 and Amended in 2004. The aims as and objectives of establishment of EFCC remain to combat economic and Financial crimes, to prevent, investigate, prosecute and penalize economic and financial crime offenders.

All these activities were put in place to sanitize the economic and political system of Nigeria as such EFCC is empowered with the responsibility of executing the provisions of other Laws and regulations that relate with Economic and Financial crimes as stipulated in Section 7(2) of the establishment Act 2004. And those laws that can be cited include The Money Laundering Act of 1995; The Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004; the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 1995; he Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices In Banks Act 1994; The Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 1994; The Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 1991; Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1985; The Criminal Code and the Penal Code and Terrorism Act, 2011.

Given the foundation in which EFCC was established and the way and manner the appointment of the headship of this ombudsman organization since 2002 that it was established, one is left with some pertinent questions on the characteristics of laid down procedures of appointing the Chairman of EFCC. First question to ask ‘Is it Forbidden for Southerners to become Chairman of EFCC since its creation?’ Going by the history of those who have occupied the Chairmanship position of EFCC Police Officer Nuhu Ribadu was there being a Fulani man from Ribadu Town in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State and a Moslem by faith. Next came Ibrahim Lamurde also a core Northerner and a Moslem, Mrs. Farida Waziri also a Northerner took over the helms of affairs of EFCC followed by controversial Ibrahim Magu whose tenure in office was tumultuous and associated with looting the loots recovered from economic looters. And the now suspended Abdulrasheed Bawa all Fulanis and one Kanuri since 23- years are all From one ethnic group and Muslim faith… taking into cognisance what Senator Kassim Shettima Vice President said that a bad Southern Christian is better than a serious Muslim from the North it then follows that those Fulani and Kanuri Moslem citizens when profiled in line of their tribal and religious background can it be said that only Fulanis and Kanuris and Moslem faithfuls are pious and ardent worshippers and principled citiozens who are not prone to corruption?

If you may ask again why No Southern Nigerian citizen had Headed EFCC as Chairman and is it Forbidden for Southerners to become Chairman of EFCC since its creation? And providing answers to the above questions one will recall Senator Kassim Shettima Vice President said that a bad Southern Christian is better than a serious Muslim from the North… from every indication all past Chairmen of EFCC from the North who are Fulanis and Kanuri and Muslims have not used their assumed holier than thou religious and ethnic profile to do things positively different that could have made any reasonable person to believe in their sanctimonious positions. But they turned out to be Honoured thieves who allegedly stole from the accused who they were supposed to investigate and prosecute before courts if competent jurisdiction of the land. The case of Ibrahim Magu an ombudsman turned looter of the looted estates of the alleged thieves. Recently, the current Chairman of EFCC Abdulrashid Bawa was accused by the former Governor of Zamfara state of demanding payment of $2m as bribe of which he had denied.

However, in the Southern Nigeria where there are highly trained Police officers with international training in Police Investigative operations. Such officers who have headed United Nations Peace keeping operations in Somalia and Eastern Europe with merit badges of honour for distinguishing themselves in security services should be given the chance to head EFCC this time around. From records available there are many serious minded honest Senior Police officers who have worked assiduously as Commanders of Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS in areas hitherto seen as difficult terrain in crime associated with sabotage of nations economic mainstay and they served very well in maintaining peace and checkmated the activities of such unpatriotic citizens. The records are available for such well-trained Senior Police officers from the Southern Nigeria with training in Legal Education as Lawyers whose work experiences and impeccable record of service cannot be ignored instead they should be given the opportunity to serve their country at higher positions of responsibility like as Chairman of EFCC irrespective of their religious and ethnic background but fir equity and balance in Federal Character as constitutionally enshrined in the 1999 constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended.

In Southern Nigeria there are well qualified Police Officers with training in Law enforcement with advanced Legal education qualification as Lawyers who are exposed to the intricacies of administrative crime prevention and prosecutorial eagles eyes which the Government of the day under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can tap irrespective of the ethnic origin of the Southern Police officers. Let us try other religious background whose responsibility will be paying true allegiance to our country and adopting the federal character principle as enshrined in the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended.