Obasanjo: EFCC, a Toothless Bulldog

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission became a “toothless bulldog” after the exit of its pioneer chairman, Mallam Nujhu Ribadu. He noted that successive leadership after Ribadu failed to lead the fight against economic and financial crimes with the same endearingly fervent drive that had made the organisation popular before Nigerians at its inception. Obasanjo made the assertion in Abeokuta during a ceremony at the Obasanjo Presidential Library to mark his 79th birthday.

EFCC was established in 2003 by the administration of Obasanjo as a law enforcement agency to investigate and prosecute financial crimes, such as advance fee fraud (419 fraud) and money laundering, with Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as its first chairman. The commission’s establishment was, partly, in deference to the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), which named Nigeria as one of 23 non-cooperative countries in the international effort to fight money laundering.

But speaking yesterday during his birthday celebration, Obasanjo lamented EFCC’s relapse to inertia after Ribadu’s exit. He, however, praised Ribadu’s era at the helm of the organisation as representing the great moments in the commission’s history.
The former president stated, “Honestly, when Nuhu was handling EFCC, he handled it in such a way that people coined the saying that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of Nuhu Ribadu and, then, the thing you will ask is, how did we go down? How did we lose that?

“Nuhu Ribadu is still here, he’s still alive, the institution we started together is still there, but what made the institution to become a toothless bulldog? What? And that is the matter we have to keep looking at so that we don’t take two steps forward, one step aside and three steps back.”
Ribadu was chairman of EFCC from 2003 to 2007, when he was removed by Obasanijo’s successor, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua. Mrs. Farida Waziri took over from Ribadu and led the commission between May 2008 and November 2011. Ibrahim Lamorde led EFCC from November 2011 to November 2015, when he handed over to the incumbent chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

Magu’s tenure has seen some effort to restore the effectiveness of EFCC.
Meanwhile, Obasanjo has advocated the use of technology in the fight against terrorism. He said this during his birthday ceremonies. Obasanjo said if the terrorists could deploy technology in the pursuit of their nefarious mission, it was imperative to also adopt technology to counter them.

According to the former president, “The world is interested in what can be done to stem the tide and I think what we did yesterday, we made our own contribution in a way that we believe will serve our country, serve our sub-region, West Africa, our region of Africa, and, indeed, the world we live in.

“I summarised that the solution lies in six areas: at home, in the community, in the church/mosque, in the schools/colleges, in the local, state and federal governments, and in the international community. At each of these, we do things that we should not do and we leave undone what we should do.

“Therefore, people have or they see perceived injustice or perceived grievances and they try to react but as I said yesterday, when you have to treat violent extremism and radicalisation as an issue, then it costs you more. What we should do, which will be cost effective, wise and cheaper, is to prevent, and if we do what we should do at all those areas, we should be able to prevent.

“One of the things we now have to take seriously is technology because technology impacts on our daily life. It’s built to our homes, it’s in our pocket and if those who want to do anything to make life unbearable for us in terms of security (use it), then we must also use technology as the antidote and the means by which we can ward off what they may want to do against us.”
Some of those at the event eulogised Obasanjo for his contributions to democracy and nation-building.

Ministers of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogonnaya Onu, and Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, in separate submissions, described the former president as an institution, a gift to Nigeria, and a detribalised Nigerian.

Onu said, “Obasanjo is a man who has become an institution, a special gift that God gave to Nigeria. At every time the nation faces challenges, God has used Obasanjo to get it out of the problem and there are so many parts to this unique personality.”

The Senate Minority Leader and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, described Obasanjo as a man who loves justice, adding that the ruling class believes in his leadership, vision and prophecy.

The Senate President was represented at the occasion by the senator for Ogun Central senatorial district, Senator Lanre Tejuoso.
Other dignitaries at the event included Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; Segun Oni; former governors of Osun, Cross Rivers and Adamawa States, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Liyel Imoke, and Bala Ngilari, respectively.

In a related development, Senate President Bukola Saraki and his predecessor, David Mark, yesterday congratulated Obasanjo as he marked 79 years. The two statesmen, in separate statements by their media aides, described Obasanjo as an unrepentant proponent of Nigerian unity and a pillar of contemporary Nigeria.

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, described Obasanjo as a worthy statesman as he prayed God to grant him good health, wisdom and more years of fruitful service to his fatherland.

“President Obasanjo is a national leader who has not only led this country meritoriously as a military head of state and civilian president but has continued to guide the nation with his wise counsel even in retirement. He is one true Nigerian whose passion for the unity and development of Nigeria is unparalleled. I wish him many more years of invaluable service to our country,” Saraki said.

In his own statement signed by his media assistant, Paul Mumeh, Mark described Obasanjo as an outstanding nationalist and statesman who laboured to keep Nigeria as one.
He said Obasanjo remained one of the pillars of contemporary Nigeria, adding, “His belief in one united Nigeria where everyone is free to do his or her legitimate business is unquestionable.”
Mark described Obasanjo as a father figure to the nation on whose shoulders “we lean when it matters,” as he recalled the former president’s role in Nigeria’s civil war as well as his leading role towards nurturing and sustaining democracy.
He also commended Obasanjo for his consistent and untiring efforts towards sustaining the peace and progress of the country and the continent.​