Anti-graft war: Corruption fights back

In from Enite Benjamin …
In its new found vigour in the fight against corruption, which has resulted in the arrest of many politicians who were hitherto seen as untouchables, officials, especially the leadership, of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have also become targets.
For daring to take on these powerful political forces the commission, has also come under serious fire, as the political class mostly implicated in the battle against corruption in the country are hitting back.
It was gathered that political associates and relations of the indicted public officers, present and former, have used blackmail as weapons “to see if they could sway their protégés and godfathers from prosecution”.
A source close to the top echelon of EFCC revealed, that “Powerful politicians have been mobilising hirelings to undermine the commission by sponsoring publications to discredit the efforts to bring the former public officers who dipped their hands in the public till to book”.
The source alluded to the reported linkage of EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde among the many top government functionaries who were allocated choice properties in Abuja and Lagos, as a parting gift by the former administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, as one ploy to get back at him

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EFCC officials who spoke extensively on anonymity stated how corruption has been fighting back in EFCC.
According to one of the top officials, what is going on now has similar traits with what Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the commission went through for his vigour and courage on the fight against corruption in the country.
“When you fight corruption, corruption fights back. Indeed, not many Nigerians have forgotten how those whose toes the former anti-graft czar stepped on, when they had the opportunity to take their pound of flesh, hunted and hounded him into a cold and lonely life in self-exile. He is yet to fully recover from the wilderness experience”, he enthused.
According to insiders, the clamour for Lamorde’s removal, became strident following the invitation of a former Head of the Civil Service, Steve Oronsaye and former governors of Adamawa, Jigawa and Imo states, as well as spouses of the former governors of Kwara and Kebbi states.
“Suddenly all the newsrooms in Nigeria were flooded by hate reports by hack writers and pseudo civil rights activists on his payroll, demonizing Lamorde for beaming the searchlight on them”, he said.
“All manner of motives were imputed to the invitation, including the specious claim that the EFCC is persecuting him with phantom corruption allegations because he recommended the merger of the agency with its poorer cousin, the ICPC,” the source said of Oronsanye.
He added that powerful forces also blackmailed Lamorde, alleging that he did not like the face of Oronsaye because he was in the fore front of the agitation for the independence of the Nigerian Financial intelligence Unit, adding that the EFCC boss was also accused of wanting to jeopardize the former head of service chances of emerging, either as Secretary to the Government of the Federation or Chief of staff to Buhari.
It was further gathered that politicians also hired a section of the media to publish stories of non-existent civil society groups barricading the entrance to the offices of the EFCC.
“That was patently false. It never occurred but was planted to create a lie of public discontent with the EFCC leadership.
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The EFCC source noted that Lamorde could do no wrong until he took on three powerful ex-governors and their sons- Sule Lamido of Jigawa state and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha; Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and his Son Abdul-aziz and Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State.
Lamido whose son, Aminu had earlier been convicted for money laundering after he was caught with $40,000 cash at the Mallam Aminu International Airport, left prison where he was initially remanded by Justice Anyadike, to sing about him being targeted because of his 2019 presidential ambition.
“When his sons were first arrested by the EFCC in 2013 at the onset of the investigation, the word out there was that the agency had targeted him because of his 2015 presidential ambition! But did he commit the crimes alleged by the EFCC?”, the source queried.

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