Naso EFCC set to re-open Odili's case, others

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, is set to reopen the trial of high profile
politicians whose corruption cases had either
been delayed or put in abeyance as a result of
court injunctions.
A top management officer of the EFCC told
Vanguard , yesterday, that the commission under
the leadership of acting chairman, Ibrahim
Magu, was bent on reopening all the corruption
cases involving top politicians, who were
shielded by the court through perpetual
injunctions that had temporarily tied the hands
of the commission from prosecuting them.
Top on the list of those whose cases are to be
reopened, is former Rivers State Governor, Dr.
Peter Odili, who secured a perpetual injunction
from a Federal judge barring the EFCC from
investigating his eight-year tenure over alleged
graft. Justice Ibrahim Buba had granted a
perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from
probing graft allegations its operatives levelled
against the former governor.
The commission, however, filed an appeal
against the ruling, which was described as
strange by legal pundits. But the appeal has not
made progress since it was instituted over four
years ago.
However, the top EFCC operative vowed in an
interview with Vanguard that all stumbling
blocks to reopening the cases and similar ones
would be removed by the Magu administration
at EFCC with a view to bringing the former
governor to book.
The top operative said that the new Criminal
Justice Administration Act of 2015 has removed
the stumbling blocks to prosecuting those who
looted the nation's treasury.
The senior management official of the
commission said: ''Let it be made clear that the
EFCC will go after all cases that are deserving
of investigation. There is nothing like perpetual
injunctions anymore in our criminal
administration justice code.
''We have a duty to investigate all cases since
we are empowered by the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria to investigate all
such corruption-related cases and that is what
we are asked to do.
''We are empowered by Section 15 of the new
Criminal Justice Administration Act to
investigate all cases irrespective of
injunctions.We cannot be stopped.'' The official
said.
The source confirmed that top officials in the
administration of former President Goodluck
Jonathan, who abused their office by fritting
away huge national cash and assets would be
summoned to clear the air on why they breached
public trust.
Among those slated for questioning are former
Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of
the Economy in the last Administration, Dr.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and some former officials
of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, who
handled the disbursement of funds to the Office
of the National Security Adviser, ONSA.
Asked when the officials would be summoned,
the official said no date had yet been fixed,
adding, ''I will find out and get back to you.''
In the meantime, the EFCC Chairman, Mr.
Ibrahim Magu, has established a Procurement
Fraud Unit, PFU, to strengthen the fight against
corruption in the country.
The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC,
Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement to
Vanguard, last night, that Magu made the
disclosure in Abuja yesterday during a meeting
with leaders of a coalition of civil society
organisations.
Uwujaren said that Magu expressed concern
over the increasing rate of procurement fraud
and told his guests that the PFU would
contribute immensely to the anti-corruption
battle when it became operational.
''I am so concerned about procurement fraud. I
am thinking of establishing a unit dedicated to
procurement fraud. When put in place, it will go
a long way in checking corruption.'' Magu said.