Politics

AGF, NPCC to take over trial of Saraki, Akpabio, Kalu, Sheriff, others

Published

8 years ago

August 10, 2016

The Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has directed prosecution agencies to forward files of high profile cases with them to the National Prosecution Cordination Committee, NPCC.

The development came as the Federal Government gave the NPCC the nod to take over the trial of high profile public officers, especially former governors, alleged to have looted their state treasuries

The AGF has therefore directed various agencies with prosecutorial powers in the country to compile lists of such high profile cases.

Malami gave the directive when he met with heads of the anti-graft agencies at the Federal Ministry of Justice headquarters in Abuja on Monday, where he briefed them on the need for the committee.

According to the AGF, there was need to fashion out a working synergy between NPCC and the agencies.

The agencies affected by the directive included the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, ICPC, the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Services, DSS and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.

In a statement by the media aide to the AGF, Salihu Isah, Malami told the heads of the agencies that the prerogative to determine what qualifies as high profile case lies with him.

According to the statement, members of the NPCC are his aides and eight external individuals who were selected based on their experience and expertise.

On why heads of the affected agencies were excluded from the NPCC, the minister said it was because of their busy schedules.

It would be recalled that there had been indications that cases involving former governors will be re-opened.

The former governors include the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Godswil Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Ali-Modu Sheriff (Borno), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia); Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu); Saminu Turaki (Jigawa); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Joshua Dariye (Plateau); Ahmed Yerima (Zamfara); Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Danjuma Goje (Gombe) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).

Others are Ikedi Ohakim (Imo); Obong Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom); Achike Udenwa (Imo); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun); Jolly Nyame (Taraba); Boni Haruna (Adamawa); George Akume (Benue); Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo); Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Usman Dakingari (Kebbi); Adamu Mu’azu (Bauchi); and Peter Odili (Rivers).

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews

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