$20m NPA BRIBE SCAM: Group decries EFCC’s sluggish probe of indicted Swiss firm

A group, the Civil Society Network Against Corruption has decried the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC’s) slow action in probing the $20 million bribes allegedly given to former Nigerian Ports Authority officials by a Swiss firm, Dredging International Services.

CSNAC, has therefore called on the EFCC, to without further delay take action against the international firm which it said, was on the verge of receiving a fresh contract from NPA regardless of its indictment by the anti-graft agency.

In a statement by CSNAC chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, he said that a failure of the anti-graft agency to speed up efforts in investigating the $20 million bribes allegation could compromise the anti-corruption war which is the major goal of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

“For an administration that prides itself in fighting corruption, leaving a case this bad and inconclusive, and allowing investigations to drag on forever, goes against everything this administration has been preaching since its inception.

“The EFCC must ensure that investigations reach a logical end and those found guilty are made to face the full wrath of the law.

“The bribery scam involved Dredging International Services, a Swiss company in Cyprus, but while the company has been found guilty in Switzerland and fined one million Swiss Francs since 2012, the EFCC investigation is still pending and the culprits continue to walk free,” Suraju said.

Recall that the management of the NPA had recently accepted writing the Office of the Attorney General (AGF) for legal advice on the legitimacy of continued interaction with the firm in the new dredging contract published by the NPA.

But Suraju wondered why NPA will be seeking for a legal advice over a company that had already been convicted in Switzerland since 2012.

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“Nigeria sanctioned Halliburton and Siemens in the past for their roles in bribery cases and prevented them from participating in contract implementation. It is curious how the NPA is framing excuses for purported involvement of the indicted company in the bidding process for the new dredging contract.

“The action runs contrary to the anti-corruption mantra of this government and is capable of sending the wrong signal of endorsing bribery to the international community,” CSNAC chairman said.

He therefore demanded that the firm be blacklisted and immediately disqualification by the NPA from all its activities.

 

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