Borno Investigations Called Off Over Files Disappearance
By Peter OSSAI, Abuja The Economic and Financial rimes Commission (EFCC) has often portrayed a puritanistic posture on issues of corruption, thereby being inundated with petitions over sundrycorrupt practices for its necessary actions, but accusing fingers are being ointed at the commission as having compromised some cases under its investigations. The commission had recently alerted the nation of activities of some people using the name of the EFCC to extort money from individuals, but the denials did not seem to have cut the ice with Nigerians, who believe that the EFCC has either deliberately bungled cases owing to vested personal interests or compromised for certain gains. nationalTRAIL findings reveals that, some petitions coming from Borno State, especially one in which eight former and serving commissioners as well as the Accountant General of the state were invited for questioning have gone missing, and investigations called off, even as tongues are beginning to wag that there may be a case of sabotage by some operatives of the anti graft agency. Our correspondent who has been following the matter reports that, a similar case file of unlawful withdrawals of N50 million each from the accounts of all the 27 Local Government areas in Borno State, under the guise of hosting President Muhammadu Buhari during his campaigns has also been missing.
The petitions amongst other things accused Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima of alleged mismanagement of funds accruing to the state using the security management, and other sundry procurements, as excuse to siphon money through his cronies.
The allegations to the effect that the EFCC deliberately bungled investigations in some of the petitions have may not been new, but recent findings which reveal that some indiduals have been paying billions of naira to some EFCC staff to kill their cases, or be let off the hook, is becoming worrisome to the Presidency, we gathered.
The same allegations may have compelled its chairman, Ibrahim Magu to cause for investigations into alleged bungled cases, for which two of the agency’s operatives have been detained for their roles and for assisting suspects to escape justice.
One of the petitioners in one of the bungled cases which concerns Borno State, told our correspondent that Governor Kashim Shettima has been going round, bragging that, former Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde has given Borno officials involved in the matter an iron cast alibi, and that the current Chairman’s hands were tied, as such could do nothing as far as the state is concerned.
He said he was pained when one of the governor’s men asked him to go and hang, as Magu may never find anything incriminating against Borno even if he digs deeper, because all matters relating to the state have been sealed and investigations have since been called off.
Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwajerem did not respond to our inquiries on the matter, neither did he confirm the number of bungled investigations so far revisited by the EFCC and whether some of its officials have been indicted.
It could however be recalled that searchlight was recently beamed in the direction of the immediate past chairman of the commission, and before then was accused of compromising, and was facing an inquest at the senate.
It was even alleged that his sudden removal may be connected to shoddy deals as head of the anti-graft agency
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