TOUCHING THE

UNTOUCHABLES

EFCCALERT!A PUBLICATION OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION

VOL 4 NO 6 | JUNE 2015

REVEALED

New Tricks of Visa Scammers

EFCC MUSEUM

“The Nigerian Story told from theEFCC angle”

MAGAZINE REVIEW

TreasureTrove

Do not say

THE TEAM

Editor-in-Chief: Osita Nwajah

Editor:Wilson Uwujaren

Assistant Editors:Dele Oyewale

Williams OseghaleTony Orilade

Babatunde SulaimanSegun Adeoye

Bureau Chiefs:Samin AmaddinInnocent Ogbu

Fatima AbubakarDeborah MezehAyanjide Ilupeju

Photo Editors:Monday Emoni

Franklyn Ogunleye

Production Editors:Rolake Odofin-Jolayemi

Adeleye Sodade

EFCCALERT!A PUBLICATION OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION

VOL 4 NO 6 | JUNE, 2015

EFCC ALERT! is a monthly e-magazine published by the Media Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is acceptable as

long as it is duly credited. Editorial contributions including photographs are welcome. Mail should be sent to:

The Editor, EFCC ALERT!,5, Fomella Street, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, Nigeria. OR 15A, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos

Email: alert@efccnigeria.orgTel: +234-9-6441102;6441107;

234-1-2692631

Touching the Untouchables 3

In what has become a long drawn battle, the EFCC remains steadfast in taking on

the seemingly high-and-mighty in the society who have soiled their hands with

shady deals

9 Burn the Fat

9 Young Crooks

10 TreasureTrove

10 Preserving for Posterity

11 “The Nigerian Story told

Throwback Photo 2

Positive Partnership 6

Good Ambassador 6

Naira Crooks 7

Unholy Act 7

you were not warned 8

CONTENTS

EFCCALERT! 2 |

from the EFCC angle”

THROWBACKPHOTO

Circa March 8, 2013: Former Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, during an exclusive interview with the

EFCC Media Unit team, at his Ota farm, Sango-Ota, Ogun State.

“I told the EFCC to investigate me. I told EFCC to carry out clinical

investigation and they did it. They also did same with all the people on my

farm. One of them was telling me the other day how Ibrahim Lamorde called him three times and took statements from him. The EFCC even made sure that they did not submit that report to

me; they waited until I left and updated their report after going round the world

and saying look this is the report. Nobody should be below board in the

fight against corruption.” – Obasanjo.

In what has become a long drawn battle, the EFCC remains steadfast in taking on the seemingly high-and-mighty in the society who have soiled their hands with shady deals

BY SEGUN ADEOYE

TOUCHING THE UNTOUCHABLES

EFCCALERT! 3|

T h e y h a v e b e e n t a g g e d t h e untouchables, based on their political might and financial prowess. Indeed, they are moneybags – Nigeria’s former governors, many of whom are

Nyako, former g o v e r n o r o f A d a m a w a

State, turned himself in for quest ioning at the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja on June 1, 2015. He had gone on self-exile after he, along with his son, Abdul Aziz Murtala, were declared wanted on February 4, 2015, in a case of criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of N15billion. The EFCC took up a petition alleging looting of the treasury by him and top state government officials through a depar tment ca l led Spec ia l Programme and Project Units. The case against Nyako is ongoing.

MURTALANYAKO

FEATURE

On June 18, 2015 , EFCC o p e r a t i v e s

rounded up Ohakim, former governor of Imo State, at his home in the Asokoro district of Abuja, after he shunned the anti-graft agency’s invitation to answer for several shady deals allegedly perpetrated during his tenure. Ohakim is alleged to have used four construction companies to siphon monies from the state coffers. Investigations, which have been long in the works, also showed that he mismanaged state funds to the extent that the state could not pay salaries of civil servants. The case is ongoing.

IKEDIOHAKIM

T h e f o r m e r g o v e r n o r o f O g u n S t a t e

was at an Abeokuta High Court on June 18, 2015 as part of his ongoing trial over corruption charges. He is facing a 38 count charge bordering on corruption, stealing and conversion of public property.

GBENGADANIEL

now members of the Senate, saddled with the responsibility for making laws for good governance.The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as part of its

concerted efforts to fight corruption has continued to ensure that these apparently influential members of the society are held accountable for their deeds.

Lamido, former g o v e r n o r o f Jigawa State,

was a guest of the anti-graft agency, on June 18, 2015. Lamido, a former foreign affairs minister, is alleged to have during his time as governor, received N1.3billion as kickback from a government contractor – a

SULELAMIDO

company linked to his sons, Aminu and Mustapha. The company was awarded contracts to the tune of N13.5bil l ion. Lamido’s sons were arrested in 2013 for questioning, while their father enjoyed immunity as governor. The case is ongoing.

Elechi, former g o v e r n o r o f Ebonyi State, turned himself

in for questioning on June 16, 2015 . Hav ing qu izzed the permanent secretary of the state’s ministry of works, the state’s accountant general, and the ex-

MARTINELECHI

commissioners for finance and local government and chieftaincy matters in January. He was invited for questioning over allegations of mismanagement of funds in the state/local government joint account. His son, Nnanna, was on January 29, 2015 interrogated for money laundering offences. The case is ongoing.

EFCCALERT! 4|

Ye t a n o t h e r g o v e r n o r o f Bayelsa State,

under the searchlight of the EFCC, Timipre Sylva, has been fighting tooth and nail to get himself off the radar of the EFCC. Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abuja, on June 10, 2015 dismissed a 42

TIMIPRESYLVA

W h i l e t h e p r o s e c u t i o n and conviction

of Igbinedion, a former governor of Edo State has come to a close, the anti-graft agency has also recovered some properties from him including a property located at 57, Ihama Road, GRA, Benin, Edo State and another located at 24 Izekor Road, also in Edo.

LUCKYIGBINEDION

In a desperate m o v e t o prevent himself

from being declared wanted by the EFCC, Modu-Sheriff, former governor of Borno State, turned himself in on June 3, 2015 to answer questions over how his administration mismanaged N300 b i l l i o n r e c e i v e d f r o m t h e Federation Account between 2003 and 2011. Investigations by the EFCC began in 2012 and is ongoing.

ALIMODU-SHERIFF

Alamieyeseigha, a f o r m e r g o v e r n o r o f

Bayelsa State, currently enjoying presidential pardon courtesy of former president, Goodluck J o n a t h a n , w i l l f o r e v e r b e remembered for his “ingenuity” which saw him jump bail in December 2005 in the UK and flee to Nigeria by allegedly disguising as a woman. He was the first former governor to be successfully prosecuted by the EFCC. In addition to freezing bank accounts linked to some of his companies, over N3billion recovered from the sale of his properties have been returned to Bayelsa State.

DIEPREYEALAMIEYESEIGHA

count charge bordering on money laundering brought against him. The case, which began in 2013 has, however, not been dropped. On June 25, 2015 Sylva was in court to face a fresh 50 count charge before Just ice A.F. Ademola of the Federal High Court , Abuja.

The EFCC on December 20, 2012, declared

this prince of the family of late Pa Audu Oyidi, Orego Atta of Igala Land, wanted on o f fences bordering on conspiracy, stealing and misappropriation of public fund to the tune of N4billion. He turned himself in, and on March 18, 2013, Audu, who prides himself as the first governor of Kogi State, was arraigned before Justice A. O. Adeniyi of the Federal High Court Abuja along with his co-accused on a 36-count charge bordering on criminal b r e a c h o f t r u s t a n d misappropriation of public fund to the tune of N10,965,837,040. Several witnesses in court have given details of Audu’s shady deals in government. On April 2, 2015 when the case came up for hearing, Jabaru Olatunj i , a prosecution witness told the court that several documents on the award of contracts to major contractors between 2000 and 2003 during Audu’s tenure as governor, were forged. The trial of Audu, who currently enjoys bail, is ongoing.

ABUBAKARAUDU

Goje, former g o v e r n o r o f Gombe State,

was on October 7, 2011 declared w a n t e d o n a l l e g a t i o n s o f

DANJUMAGOJE

mismanagement and diversion of state fund of over N52 billion. With no place to hide, Goje turned himself in, on October 10, 2011. He was promptly detained for questioning over his role in pocketing state funds, meant for security. At the last sitting on April 29, 2015 at the Federal High Court, Gombe, before Justice B. O. Quadri, the EFCC presented more exhibits to prove its case against Goje and his co-accused. The trial continues on July 2, 2015.

N y a m e , a f o r m e r g o v e r n o r o f

Taraba State, is being prosecuted on 41 count charge bordering on money laundering, cr iminal breach of trust and gratification to the tune of N1.36billion. His trial began on June 22, 2010, at a Federal High Court Abuja, with a w i t n e s s c o n fi r m i n g t h e au then t i c i t y o f documents tendered as evidence against him. At his trial at an Abuja High Court on March 28, 2012, an accountan t w i th the Rura l Electrification Board, Jalingo, Taraba State, Abdulrahman Mohammed, also told the court that he withdrew N282million for Nyame. The trial is ongoing.

JOLLYNYAME

P e r h a p s , i f there is a case that has put

untold stress on the EFCC it is that of Kalu, a former governor of Abia State. Using all the arsenals at his disposal, he has consistently frustrated his trial over N5.6billion fraud . He is currently challenging the competence of the charge against him, after the court of appeal affirmed the trial court’s ruling that he should face trial. Several of his properties have, however, been seized by the EFCC, all located in choice areas in Borno, Lagos, and Rivers states.

ORJI UZORKALU

On January 20, 2004, Dariye, a

JOSHUADARIYE

T h i s f o r m e r g o v e r n o r o f Enugu State, has since 2008

deployed all tactics to avoid answering for a N5billion money laundering case brought against him. In 2007, the anti-graft agency beamed i ts search l ight on Nnamani, his former aide, Sunday Anyaogu, and six companies, with which he was alleged to have perpetrated the fraud. In a bid to speed up his trial which had been stalled due to Nnamani’s “ill-health”, the EFCC on November 18, 2014 urged the court to allow the t r ia l of Nnamani to be conducted separately. He is alleged to have stolen N1.4 billion from the Excess Crude Oil Funds allocated to local governments in the state. At the sitting of May 19, 2015 , the fou r compan ies associated wi th Nnamani ’s alleged fraud, pleaded guilty to a 10-count amended charge preferred against them. The case is ongoing.

CHIMAROKENNAMANI

T h e t r i a l o f Doma, a former g o v e r n o r o f

Nasarawa State, l ike many others, has experienced various twists and turns. At the sitting of F e b r u a r y 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 m o r e

AKWEDOMA

witnesses gave various accounts of how Doma, along with top officials of his government who are being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency on a 10 count charge bordering on money laundering, siphoned funds from the state treasury to the tune of over N7billion. At the last sitting, Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federa l H igh Cour t , Lafia, Nasarawa, ordered hearing notices to be served on the incumbent Secretary of the State Government, Dauda Egwa.

After Justice M a r c e l Aw o k u l e h i n ,

tacitly freed James Ibori, a former governor of Delta State, quashing the 170-count charge preferred against him by the EFCC, the anti-graft agency, eventually partnered with the Metropolitan Police in the UK, giving evidence, which were subsequently used to nail him. The EFCC also secured the final forfeiture of a $15million bribe to the Federal Government. The sum was allegedly offered to a f o r m e r c h a i r m a n o f t h e Commission.

JAMESIBORI

former governor of Plateau State, was arrested in London with large sums of money. About eight years after the EFCC first arraigned him, the Supreme Court, on February 2 7 , 2 0 1 5 d i s m i s s e d a n interlocutory appeal filed by him cha l leng ing the cor rupt ion charges levelled against him since 2007 ordering him to “go face trial”. He had been arraigned on July 13, 2007 on 23 count charge bordering on money laundering and other corruption charges to the tune of N1.2billion. His tr ial, which is ongoing, resumed on March 24, 2015 at the High Court of the FCT. So far, the EFCC has recovered a number of properties from Dariye, in choice areas in Abuja and Plateau State.

In the days to come, more former governors would no doubt, be called upon by the anti-graft agency to answer for their deeds, during their tenures. According to the EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamorde, “it takes time for cases to be fully and diligently investigated and taken to court and then made public.”While assuring Nigerians that fight against corruption was going on with full vigour, Lamorde has stressed

repeatedly that: “Any public officer, who decides to dip his or her hand in government’s coffers to steal, even if such money is taken outside the country, has no hiding place.”

“It takes time for cases to be fully and diligently

investigated and taken to court and then made public.”

-Lamorde

EFCCALERT 5! |

T h i s f o r m e r Jigawa State g o v e r n o r i s currently on the

run. He was declared wanted on Jan 23, 2015 in connection with a N36bn fraud. He was absent in court on November 13, 2014. The search for him continues.

SAMINUTURAKI

BY BABATUNDE SULAIMAN

GOOD AMBASSADOR

A staff of EFCC at the Enugu Zone, stands out among his peers at the Psychological

Operation course organised by the Defence Intelligence College in Abuja

BY FATIMA ABUBAKAR // KANO

POSITIVE PARTNERSHIP

In an apparent push to strengthen war against money laundering, members of the Kano State Designated Non-Financial Institutions, seek stronger

partnership with the EFCC

EFCCALERT 6! |

The Kano State Designated Non-Financial Institutions, DNFIs, has sought for

stronger partnership with the Economic and Financial Crimes

Commission, EFCC, in its bid to ensure that money laundering, which is a major source of corruption in the society, is reduced to the barest minimum.

Representatives of the Kano DNFIs, at a recent one-day enlightenment lecture for operators of such institutions, tagged “Sensitisation of Designated Non-Financial Institution’s Obligations Under the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011”, urged the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML to “re-strategise and intensify campaign against money laundering in the country.”

Identifying non-financial institutions such as casinos, supermarkets, hotels, etc. as veritable platforms exploited by money launderers, Aminu Ahmed of the SCUML office in Kano, stressed that the war against money laundering should not be left in the hands of the Commission.

He further urged participants to complement the efforts of the Commission, to ensure proper storage of customer data.

“Always ensure that all prospective customers adhere strictly to the provisions of the law because over time persons with fraudulent intentions have resorted to making use of DNFIs to launder stolen money, making it look like genuine investments spread across the world,” he said.

For Iheonunekwu Ugochukwu Collins of the Economic Governance Unit of the EFCC, Enugu Zone, Thursday, May 28, 2015 will go

down as most memorable.

On that day, Collins did the Commission proud, when he won the award for the Best Student from Other Departments and Agencies in Psychological Operation Course organised by the Defence Intelligence College, Karu, Abuja.

Collins, who was nominated to participate in the eight-week course, joined 12 other participants from the ICPC, NDLEA, NPF, and Defence Intelligence College.

Beaming a smile, Collins explained that the course bordered on information management, particularly as it affects military operations.

“In the military, it is mostly used in warfare, where you can use propaganda to induce or influence your enemies,” he said. “But with respect to our operations in the EFCC, we were taught that it is also very important in the way we deal wi th people we perceive as enemies, those who are out to r id icu le the n a m e o f t h e Commission and sometimes the suspects.”

A g o o d ambassador of the Commission, Co l l i ns fu r ther revealed that his academic performance, c o m p o r t m e n t a n d r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h others, were the criteria that got him the award.

Ugochukwu Collins

Aminu Ahmed

Participants at the lecture

EFCCALERT 6! |EFCCALERT! 7 |

heir trial began on a Tuesday,

Tand without any choice of theirs or that of the trial judge, they got

the verdict on a Tuesday. Indeed, when on Tuesday, November 4, 2014 the quartet of Usman Abdullahi, Awual Muhammed, Aminu Haruna and Haruna Muhammed Lawal were arraigned before Justice B. B. Aliyu of the Federal High Court Yola, Adamawa State, they perhaps thought they’ll get off the hook of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Unknown to them, the anti-graft agency h a d c a r r i e d o u t a t h o r o u g h investigation into their nefarious activities. The four accused persons

CRIME

BY INNOCENT OGBU // GOMBE

NAIRA CROOKS

Four men to spend next five years of their lives in jail for dealing in counterfeit naira notes

were that day charged with four counts bordering on conspiracy, possession and dealing in counterfeit naira notes - an illegal act contrary to Sect ion 518 (6) and punishable under Section 518 (7) of the Criminal Code Act, LFN 2004.

And on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 when the verdict was read to them, they could not but accept the reality of their having to spend the next five years of their lives in prison.

Justice Aliyu sentenced Abdullahi to fi v e y e a r s i m p r i s o n m e n t f o r

conspiracy, while Awual Muhammed, A m i n u H a r u n a a n d H a r u n a Muhammed Lawal were each sen tenced to five years fo r conspiracy and five years for possession of counterfeit naira notes. T h e s e n t e n c e s a r e t o r u n concurrently.

ravell ing on pilgrimage to

TMecca, Saudi Arabia, is an exercise that every Muslim the

world over strives to achieve. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. But for Anas Usman Adam, the religious exercise turned out to be an unholy avenue to perpetrate visa scam.

Adam who runs Alminar Travels and Tour Limited in Kano State had sometimes in July 2013, met Amina Yakubu, a Muslim who had the strong desire of embarking on pilgrimage to Mecca.

About N1,570,000 exchanged hands, as Adam provided visa and other

BY CHINONSO IGWE

UNHOLY ACT

A travel agent swindles an intending pilgrim to Mecca, to the tune of N1,570,000

travel documents to her for the trip to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. An elated Yakubu, subsequently packed her luggage, headed for the airport, already imagining herself in the company of other faithfuls.

Her joy, however, turned into dismay at the airport, when security officials on fl ipping through her t ravel documents, gave her the shocker of her life – the visa was a fake one.

When it dawned on Yakubu that she had been scammed, she thereafter petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The anti-graft agency immediately swung into

action, arresting Adam, who was subsequently arraigned before Justice A. M. Bayero of the Kano State High Court.

Adam who was prosecuted on a two c o u n t c h a r g e b o r d e r i n g o n conspiracy and criminal breach of trust, was on March 17, 2015 found guilty and sentenced to six months and one year imprisonment on the two counts, respectively. He was, however, offered the option of a N250,000 fine.

Anas Usman Adam

The Convicts

DO NOTSAY YOUWERE NOTWARNED!

In this third part of a series, EFCCAlert! focuses on

Visa/Immigration Scam - one of the scams featured in EFCC’s

Red Alert on Scam

BY SEGUN ADEOYE

erpetrators of visa scam, and by extension

Pimmigration scam, have over the years, taken their devious games a notch higher. They now come in

the guise of travel agencies “with international connection”, exploiting the ordinary man’s gullibility, who at all costs, wants a “better life” overseas.

Dubai. South Africa. Canada. France. The UK. The USA. Name it; they always claim to have contacts there.The recent outcry by a group of people who alleged being swindled by a tourism firm, “VIP Express Tourism Limited” to the tune of N70million, is perhaps an eye-opener to the new techniques being employed in yet another case of advance fee fraud.

The main target includes, but is not limited to couples. They have staff who lurk around in places like banks, and malls, to entrap unsuspecting individuals with their juicy offers. In some instances they send out text messages and sometimes phone calls, notifying the unsuspecting victim of being selected to travel to South Africa, and inviting them for presentation, usually at a hotel.

They promise them assistance to procure visas and travel documents to visit any country of their choice. The icing on the cake is that they’ll also help with their accommodation in whatever country they choose. They thrill them with a captivating presentation (including a documentary of colourful tourist locations) from craftily selected resource persons. After the presentation, they

coerce them into signing contracts without reading the contents. They then prevail on them to immediately make financial commitments. A clause in the contract is that the money is non-refundable and agreement cannot be terminated by only one party.

The payment at the venue of the presentation begins an endless wait for a trip that never materialises.

There are also instances where the “travel agent” continues to make more financial demands. In the end, the unsuspecting victim is presented with a fake visa, which wi l l eventual ly cause the individual an embarrassing experience at point of departure.

What to Note

· Embassies now have functional official websites, which provide concise and detailed information on visa acquisition processes for any intending visitor

· These days, countries issue visas directly through their embassies and not through agents or any third party

· You can deal directly with the embassy, and visa payment fees are made into only designated embassy accounts

· Biometrics has made it impossible for anybody without genuine travel documents to procure a visa

Illustration from Red Alert on Scam

EFCCALERT! 8|

id you know that the food you eat

Dand the time you take it, affects your health and wellbeing?

Food is necessary for survival, but it can be harmful if stored unused in the body. Experts have said that when you eat and you do not use the energy gotten from the food, it will all add up to body fat, which will in turn lead to obesity and in the long run, diabetes.

Your lifestyle is equally important. Persons with sedentary lifestyles are more likely to have health issues.

Other than administrative junior staff who run errands, a large number of staff in the senior cadre, spend more time on their seats. This practice has been proven to be unhealthy.

WELLBEING

BURN THE FAT

The type of food you eat, and your daily routinegoes a long way to determine your fitness

BY CHIDIMMA AMANAMBU

The benefits of exerc is ing the b o d y a r e immense. There is a feel ing of sat is fact ion and wel lness af ter embarking on any aerobic exercise or physical activity that lets you sweat.

Health specialists advocate at least 30 minutes walk daily for healthy living. Also eating late at night shortly before going to bed can be harmful. Eat dinner at least an hour before bed to allow for digestion.

Workouts needn’t be strenuous or dreadful. There are simple routines one can engage in that will help in relaxation and a good night rest.

At the EFCC’s aerobics, which takes p l a c e e v e r y M o n d a y s a n d Wednesdays, our instructor Adeshina Babatunde, aka “eat and burn”, will often start with a walk around, coupled with jogging for about five minutes, and then a stretch-out of the arms, legs, neck and the body before he leads everyone to undertake the fast pace music-guided workout. The session ends with the mat exercises during which we engage in tummy exercises that help in burning belly fat.

CRIME YOUNG CROOKS

The EFCC continues to rid the society of youths who deploy their internet know-how to perpetrate fraud

BY ROLAKE ODOFIN-JOLAYEMI

hey are young men and women

Tthat ought to be developing software that should showcase

Nigeria as a huge repertoire of talented internet geeks; however, many of them have become regular visitors at the EFCC office to answer for some of their dubious online activities aimed at defrauding unsuspecting individuals.

Needless to say, the rate at which Nigerian youths are engaging in internet fraud has become quite alarming that day in day out, more and more are being nabbed by the EFCC.

One of them is Ojosipe Adebayo, a 19-year-old tech geek, who rather than use his expertise for positive development, chose rather to be part of a syndicate of internet fraudsters that specialize in us ing scam e -ma i l s to de f raud

EFCCALERT! 9 |

unsuspecting victims. He assumed the identity of Marty Jason, a pseudo name, which he used to con a lady named Candice, having posed to be sponsoring the funding of charity concerts for motherless babies homes.

Even ladies have joined the bandwagon. Mary Ozala, 22, toed the same path when she, along with three others, hacked the email account belonging to one Ronke Okewale, and fraudulently instructed an affil iate investment company to credit the account of one Ezeigwe Chinenye Henrietta with the sum of N2 million.

The list, sadly, continues to grow. One thing is however certain – the EFCC will not relent in getting rid of internet fraudsters in the society.

Adebayo

Ozala

EFCCALERT! 10|

TREASURE TROVE

The first quarter edition of the EFCC’s flagship magazine – Zero Tolerance, is a reader’s delight

BY JAMILU SALE

he latest edit ion of Zero

TTo l e r a n c e , t h e fl a g s h i p magazine of the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is to put it succinctly, a treasure trove. Each page keeps you glued with pieces of information presented in an interesting manner.

The 56-page magazine, a quarterly publication of the EFCC’s Media and Publicity Unit, has as its highpoint, a special interview with Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

A v i n t a g e S o y i n k a , w h o i s undoubtedly any interviewer’s delight, took time to share his candid thoughts about the monster called corruption, the Jonathan Administration, among other interesting issues. It’s an

interview you’ll not see in any other magazine.

There were also interviews with Professor Attahiru Jega, chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Festus Keyamo and Ebun Adegoruwa, both human rights lawyers, among others.

While Jega reflects on INEC’s preparation for the 2015 general elections, the magazine in one of its features titled, “Corruption As The Real Issue”, provided an insightful analysis into how corruption shaped the race, and its outcome.

A c o l o u r f u l r e p o r t o n t h e Commission’s first-ever award ceremony, which held in December

last year is also included. But beyond the thrust of focusing on the activities of the EFCC, the reader is further enlightened by informative articles written by Chidi Odinkalu, chairman, National Human Rights Commission, Kanu Agabi, SAN, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, among others.

There’s also a l ist of the 126 convictions secured in 2014, further making the publication a resource material to have.

he Director General, National Commission for

TMuseums and Monuments, Yusuf Abdallah Usman, has offered to help bring to fruition the

EFCC’s vision to establish a vibrant and world-acclaimed museum. It will be the first-ever by a law enforcement agency in Nigeria.

Usman made the commitment during a familiarity visit by members of the EFCC’s Museum and Archives committee, led by its chairman, Osita Nwajah, who also doubles as the deputy director of the agency’s Public Affairs Directorate.

“We assure you of our support at all times,” Usman said. Nwajah hinged the decision to establish a museum, on the desire to preserve the heritage of the anti-graft agency. “We see it as a Nigerian Project,” he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORT BY POLYCARP SAGA

PRESERVING FOR POSTERITY

BY SEGUN ADEOYE

The National Commission for Museums and Monuments promises to assist the EFCC build a world-class museum

Yusuf Abdallah Usman and Osita Nwajah during the visit

EFCCALERT! 11|

What is the idea behind having a museum?The idea relates to the preventive mandate of the EFCC. The goal is to be able to document and record everything that we have; to tell our story, and not to rely on people who for motives that might be alien to our ideals and goal, tell the story the way they want from their own perspective, or not to tell it at all as the case might be. So we want to tell the EFCC story, and we have a rich repertoire. The EFCC has done so much in a space of a few years, and we think that it’s important to keep track of those developments, those activities and the developmental realities of the EFCC, and to put that in a context of the Nigerian reality. So it’s a preventive tool in a broad sense. We intend for it to be a multimedia museum that will have all media interplay. There’ll be a mobile arm. So it’s static, mobile, and multimedia all rolled into one. It’s not going to be a standalone, one location museum. Though we intend to start small, we intend to spread to all the locations where w e h a v e operations, so p e o p l e w o n ’ t have to travel all the way to Abuja to have a feel of the museum and engage with the works of the Commission.

As a law enforcement agency, aren’t there concerns about classified information being made public?In the law enforcement industry, we have a very good model in Hong Kong. No law enforcement museum in Nigeria now. There’re private and government-run museums that we can borrow ideas from. But I don’t think there’s anyone that has this outlook that will have everything and still be dynamic. The museum is history in making, but what it’s going to

capture has already made history. Some of the very big cases that we have handled, and the things that have happened to us, like the vehicles in which our operatives were shot and killed, we should have that in a museum. That is telling our story. That’s not divulging anything that is already out there in the public domain. Yes we’re conscious of who we are; So we’re conscious of what we give

INTERVIEW

“The Nigerian Story told from the EFCC angle”

Osita Nwajah, Chairman, EFCC’s Museum and Archives Committee, and Deputy Director, Public Affairs Directorate, speaks with Segun Adeoye and Salamatu Habu, on importance of preserving

the Commission’s heritage for posterity. Excerpts:

out. There’s no classified information that is going to go out. If we’re talking about a matter, it will be a case that has gone from investigation to prosecution and conviction. If there are exhibits recovered in that direction, we would make that available to the public. We are working towards a museum, which when people walk into it, they’ll be walking through a history of any particular activity or engagement of the Commission. For instance, if it’s a case, you will see it from the planning – receipt of the complaint (it can be scrolling on the screen), also you’ll have engaging audio of actual operations and then you’ll also be seeing the relics of some of those

“The museum is history in making, but what it’s going to capture has already made history."

things that they used. Once you get into the museum, you’ll be transported to the scene. So it’s not going to be your usual kind of still photos with a story. This one is going to be dynamic.

At what stage is the project?We are at the engagement and planning stages. We’ve met with the director general of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and his other top management staff to ask their guidance. In-house, we’ve come up with a roadmap, and we’re trying to visit established museums and come up with a kind of cost implication attached to the project. There’ll be a well-researched document which will be presented to management and then management will take it up from there.

Are contributions from outsiders welcome?Absolutely! That’s why the choice of the committee was deliberate; in addition to having members from the

EFCC’s pub l i c affairs directorate, representatives f r o m t h e departments of

operat ions, legal , in format ion technology, organizational support (general services), and the Freedom of Information unit, we also have members from external cooperation; so we’re not just going to be looking around us alone. I think people are just waiting for this kind of project, and then you see them come out with overwhelming support providing more content for the museum. So it’s going to be a total package, and it is designed to be an enlightenment project. Everybody is a stakeholder in it. It’s a Nigerian Project, not one that is just limited to the EFCC. It’s the Nigerian Story told from the EFCC angle.

Osita Nwajah

Economic and Financial Crimes Commissionwww.efccnigeria.org

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