EVIDENCE THAT DEMAND VERDICT -Treasury Looting-

Treasury Looting (Part 1)

During my study at the school of evangelism, my professor thought me to believe that it is possible to win an argument but loses the soul of the person with whom I have the argument.  That simply means winning the heart and soul of a person for spiritual gain is a milestone from the argument that ensure during the tritely exchange and display of eloquence.

My lesson from the above is that I may not succeed in winning converts all the time for what I believe and support about Nigeria (with every vein in my body) but in the language of a preacher, ‘If I have not succeeded at convincing some, I would have succeeded in confusing them.’  That is to say, you may not believe all I stand for but I will leave you with no doubt in your mind that your wall of defence holds no water.

The recent debate brought about in Nigeria by the presidency regarding the looted treasury and how we intend to get them back has led me to the preamble of religious spice in driving home my points in this write-up.

By now, some of us must have been wearied of the hanging statements about treasury looting by some governors and other political/public office holders credited to the top officials within the economic corridor at Aso Rock.

It is approximately three (3) months since combined, the double-barrel onslaught on politicians and other looters came from fearless iron women in charge of the finance ministry in Nigeria, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman.

Prof. Charles Soludo, the new governor of Central Bank of Nigeria followed it up about two months ago, accusing some banks in Nigeria as part of the culprits that helped the looters break into the nation’s vault across the country and stashed the content abroad-the land of no return.

There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that the money stolen away from Nigeria runs into billion of pounds sterling and American dollars.

Thank goodness, the present government has done one thing which their predecessor never did, their stand of lack of evidence to prosecute yesterday’s looters notwithstanding, but they have locked the back door while the front one is left opened.

It is like employing all the technology available at one’s disposal to seal a basket in order for it to retain water (please, do not laugh because this is not a laughing matter).  What am I saying?  Nigeria treasury today is like a basket.  While the content, which is our treasure, as water.  It is almost ‘impossible’ to replace this basket with a non-leaking solid vessel.   This basket has been retained but with lots of patches, so that it can do the job any right-thinking person would employ a bowl to do.  No doubt, you do not expect basket with whatever form of sealant to retain water hundred percent but the era of wholesale wastage, using unsealed plain basket for storage, is gone I believe. 

The people in authority, just like any fools, are aware that the treasury as it is today requires more attention in order to have it safer.

Treasury Looting Part (2)

Time to Name Names

My only big surprise to date is the mortuary like silence from all the governors in Nigeria with respect to this allegation.  If what the two-lady have said is not weighty enough, what about the open allegation of an international criminal offence levied against some governors by the chairman of finance and economic crimes commission (EFCC), Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, when he spoke in Abuja, Nigeria at a seminar on economic crimes.

Ribadu was quoted as saying ‘governors are neck-deep, in Money LAUNDERING and treasury looting’.  That is many of the state governors have converted the state treasury into private till drawing from the same at will.

I still remember that governors  Saraki of Kwara State,  Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State and Igbinedion of Edo state were puffing fire and brimstone the day following Esther Usman first allegation but to date, neither of them have open up their spending position.

I expect these trios and any other who does not have a skeleton in his cupboard to have come out with a detailed statement of account of all the money in their charge since the time they have been in office.

In addition, they should declare their assets, both home and abroad, (a practice I recommend for all public office holders in Nigeria on a yearly basis) in line with the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

There has been absolute silence pervading the air around most public office holders in Nigeria since the arrest and detention here in London of the former Plateau State governor, Mr. Joshua Dariye

From the look of things, it appears we have to wait until eternity, if we expect these governors to come out and tell us what they know and what they own.

President  Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo must be up to some calculation, otherwise, why has he not handed over the governor with courier service attached to his portfolio, Joshua Dariye (similar role I learnt the governor of Edo State assumed in the past.  In his own case, when he was caught, he claimed to be running an errand for his Dad leaving his state without headship) to the financial crime commission or better still allow the international law on money laundering to deal with him.

My plea to those who know something is, they should take further step and name names so that all the guessing will not only stop but the stakeholders in different parts of the country can take action as demanded by honourable Esther Usman.  Please make one person a sample for others.

Security for the Whistle Blower

The Federal Government of Nigeria needs to protect the identity of the whistleblower if more information is to be revealed by people who know a thing or more about the looters and those that are front for them.  The government should recruit as many freelance intelligent officers as possible in order to infiltrate the circle of the executive 419neir.

Make Nigeria Police Force to be more attractive to the right calibre of people by providing adequate training, transportation, good remuneration, and better condition of service.

The same goes for the customs and immigration staffs.  This I think will dissuade them from corrupt practices.

Treasury Looting (Part 3 and conclusion)

‘There is no evidence to prosecution IBB’ Obasanjo, What Evidence?

President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigerians at home and around the world are waiting anxiously for you to make true your promise of eliminating corruption in the public sector.  I can guarantee you that both friends, enemies and more importantly God Almighty is watching and comparing your utterance to your action and see if there is any corroboration in your confession and your practice.

We have seen a great surface-scratching move by some of your team of crime busters but what we have not seen is your readiness to take out corruption from the root.

Looking into the good book where it says ‘For there is the hope of a tree if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender thereof will not cease.  Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground, At the scent of water it will sprout And it will certainly produce a bough like a new plant’

There is nothing as good as complete destruction of evil tree right from its root, leaving no strand of it in the soil.  In reality, if certain people remain ‘sacred cow’ or ‘untouchable being,’ it means what you are practising is gross injustice and that you are not ready to eradicate corruption as you have claimed. 

That is, you only touch and torture people with no big wig to contest your assumed state of innocence and leave out those who may have threatened to expose you should you come any closer.

As long as these ‘powerful interest groups’ that clearly benefited from the looted treasury are allowed to parade the streets, then it was better if you did not tackle corruption at all than sending minors to jail and leaving out the big-time players who also murdered innocent citizens in order to remain undetected.

Babangida should be behind bar

The record shows that IBB was born on 17th August 1941 in Mina.  He completed his primary education in 1956, the year of my birth.  He enrolled at Military College in 1962 and commissioned an officer in 1963.

The simple arithmetic, which lawyer, turned emergency one day mathematician, Uncle Richard Akinjide [of 12 two third episode; (An NTA Lagos drama, staring Ofona Goro, late Ovie Whisky, Uncle Sege, Shehu Shagari and the two ‘Akindindinrin’ of Ibadan politics)] cannot tamper with shows that from his commission to the year he handed power over to Chief Shonekan, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (a.k.a. Maradona) served and earned military/Head of State wages for approximately thirty-five (35) years.

I do not know of any Nigeria President or political appointees, past or present that earns up to £25,000 per annum.  The people who may command as much as that are, Dr. Ngozi Iweala and Dr. Adeniji.  The two, joined Aso Rock’s palace from USA through the Diaspora fund.

On assumption that there are other people that earns that much and that includes Babangida and his cohorts and they did not spend a dime of it throughout their service years.  It means that it will take Badamosi and others at least forty years (40 years) to save £1Million in their accounts.  If Obasanjo’s government will assess Babangida’s assets, in particular, his savings and all of his investments to see if this adds up to his legitimate earnings then we shall believe he has no case to answer.  If on the contrary, he possesses more than it meet the eyes, we need to take whatever is in excess of his earning, as stolen money (from the treasury) and he should face prosecution for this if corruptly acquired.

Once this is done, not only will this government be taken seriously, but would have sent a message across the nation that nobody gets away with corrupt practices anymore.

I will be disappointed, however, if this government refused to arrest Babangida based on the compelling evidence against him and many of his henchmen including those fronting for him in different businesses.

Any public office holders serving or retired with an equivalent of £1Million or more in their account or business should come open (voluntarily) as to how this money was made or else should be investigated.

There is enough evidence, if properly scrutinised, to convict many big-time 419neir who have paraded themselves as politicians, kingmakers and contractors all over Nigeria.

Please act now for posterity's sake.  Whatever you do or fail to today will live after you and your generation.

Recovering Looted Fund

The West and indeed Britain and America, might be ‘willing to help’ if only to convince the world that they are doing something.  This they will do provided retrieved and repatriated funds are guaranteed to either be used to fund depleted social amenities, payment of overdue pension allowances, revive the slaughterhouses we called the hospital or be used for such projects as pipe bone water, effective policing, electricity for all and roads.  

Various pressure groups all over the world are ready to join forces together to make G8, I.M.F., World Bank, Paris Club, and other Institutions, reveal the identity of African rogues who have stolen from their people and return such funds.

Finally, is it possible for us as citizens of Nigeria to know what your government has done with the recovered money from the Abachas and other public officers?  
Amos Akin Adeyemi-Adejinmi

General Secretary,

Nigerian British Community Forum UK

Tel: +44 (0) 7232 2626

Mob: +44 (0) 7961 414 511

E-mail: secretary@nigerianbritishcommunityforum.org.uk