Yahaya Bello is one of the few politicians who are currently entangled in the intricate web of the war against corruption in Nigeria. For some months, the immediate past governor of Kogi State played a cat-and-mouse game with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). To show that it is serious with its mandate to fight corruption, the EFCC staged different public shows in attempts to arrest Bello. The fact that the former governor is not in the good books of certain people helped the anti-graft agency’s cause. But beyond the allegations and the dogfight, Bello’s case presents us with a mirror to examine the current state of the war against corruption in Nigeria.
Last Monday was International Anti-Corruption Day. The United Nations General Assembly had adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) on October 31, 2003 and designated December 9 every year as the international anti-corruption day to raise awareness on the negative effects of corruption. As a member of the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) of the Federal Government, I was in Abuja to join in the commemoration of the event. Organized by the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) and supported by the European Union, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), MacArthur Foundation, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and International IDEA/Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, the event underscored the growing concern among some stakeholders about the damage corruption has done to our country.
In his keynote address, for instance, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), noted that corruption erodes the fabric of any society, stifles progress and deprives the young of educational opportunities, job prospects, engagement in public life, success in sports, access to health care and other essential services. The UNODC Country Representative, Mr. Cheikh Toure, described corruption as “a cancer that eats away at the very fabric of our society. It robs our young people of their dreams, their opportunities and their future. It deprives them of quality education, meaningful employment and the chance to engage in public life. It taints our sports, weakens our health care systems and accelerates the destruction of our environment.” Heads and representatives of agencies like the EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) also gave insights into the effects of corruption in the country.
As I listened to the great speeches at the Abuja Continental Hotel, I kept asking myself if we were actually serious about the war against corruption. Bello is the latest public figure in the eye of the corruption storm. The merit or otherwise of the allegations against him is for the courts to decide. But using him as a case study, should we say we are serious in the corruption war?
Without mincing words, we are not serious. The way and manner the EFCC handled the Bello story indicated a not-too-salutary motive. The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, had made a number of allegations against the former governor and vowed to resign if he was not prosecuted. In a public show of force, some EFCC operatives stormed Bello’s Abuja residence in April to effect his arrest. They could not get him there. Bello had, in February 2024, obtained an order from a Kogi State High Court preventing the EFCC from arresting, harassing, detaining or prosecuting him pending the determination of the suit he filed in court. The EFCC did not reckon with this order then. It did not bother to vacate it before the invasion and issuing of warrant of arrest against Bello. Last September, the anti-graft agency also invaded Kogi Government Lodge in Abuja in the night in its cosmetic and dramatic efforts to nab Bello. This was even when the former governor had reportedly made himself available in EFCC’s office earlier in the day and was asked to go and return at a later date.
The EFCC had declared Bello wanted for alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges. He and three others allegedly committed the offence in September 2015. This was four months before Bello assumed office as governor in February 2016. Ironically, the Kogi State government had written the EFCC, claiming its money was not missing. It described the corruption allegations against Bello as ridiculous and laughable.
The question is, if Bello had not fallen out of favour with the powers that be, would the EFCC have staged the interesting Abuja movie to arrest and prosecute him? Though a member of the APC, the embattled former governor appears to have touched the tiger’s tail when he attempted to contest the presidential primary election of the APC last year. Some people also believe he stepped on some powerful toes when he dislodged some interests in Kogi to become governor and has continued to dictate the trend of politics in the state.
Bello’s case contrasts sharply with that of the former Governor of Kano State and current Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje. While Bello is currently in detention, Ganduje gallivants about, pontificating on how the APC will capture many states as it recently did in the recent Edo governorship election. Last month, a coalition of 51 anti-corruption groups under the auspices of the National Anti-Corruption Alliance (NACA) petitioned the EFCC, demanding the arrest and prosecution of Ganduje over numerous allegations of bribery and misappropriation of money. Ganduje had obtained, in July 2023, an order from the Federal High Court in Kano restraining the Kano Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission and other security operatives from harassing, arresting, inviting or detaining him or his family members or any appointee who served in his administration. It is interesting to note that the case in court against Ganduje and seven others was filed by the Kano State Government and not the EFCC. The governing party in Kano is New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
There are many other forgotten high-profile corruption cases in Nigeria. The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), for instance, had identified 14 former governors allegedly involved in N21 trillion fraud in 15 years. Some of these former governors are now either Senators or ministers. The EFCC has turned a blind eye to this report.
Like Bello, the immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is out of favour with some people in the corridors of power. He is undergoing trial currently. Former Governor of Delta State and vice-presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, is also on the EFCC radar screen. I won’t be surprised if the immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, joins the league of those being tried for corruption soon. Obaseki is a member of the PDP.
The truth is that there are different measures for different people in Nigeria. If you are in the good books of the ruling APC, your sins will be forgiven, no matter how grievous they may be. If you are not, you will be harassed, arrested, prosecuted and possibly jailed.
Interestingly, when Bello’s matter came up last Tuesday at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, he was denied bail. Justice Maryann Anenih said the application for bail was filed prematurely; that it was filed when Bello was neither in custody nor before the court. The court ordered that he be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja. She adjourned till January 29, 2025 for commencement of trial. The former governor is standing trial, along with two others, for alleged N110 billion money laundering charge which the EFCC brought against him. This is outside the N80 billion alleged money laundering case at the Federal High Court in Abuja. In this case, Justice Emeka Nwite granted him bail last Friday in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in the like sum. He is remanded in the same Kuje Correctional Centre pending perfection of his bail terms.
Let’s continue to hope that our war against corruption will bear good fruits someday. At the earlier mentioned International Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja, the Head of the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), Mrs Jane Onwumere, noted that the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2022 –2026 “provides a holistic, collaborative and coordinated approach to the fight against corruption and seeks to develop and implement mechanisms aimed at improving governance of public institutions at the Federal, State and Local government levels by combatting corruption related factors inhibiting government’s capacity to deliver quality services to Nigerians.” To achieve this lofty ideal, we must pursue all corruption cases dispassionately. We cannot pretend to be fighting corruption when we don’t respect the rule of law and when prosecution of suspects is selective.
Re: Air Peace, Dangote and regulatory agencies
Casmir, Air Peace needs to stay on the side of caution! Failure to do this would lead to damaging the goodwill it is enjoying or has enjoyed. This goodwill is sequel to the ‘goodness’ it showed Nigerians in time past. Customers are still the king in business. No business outfit/enterprise can survive without them! Joking with them is at one’s peril and would ultimately end in regrets. When clients lodge rational/logical complaints against an enterprise, it is because they are not happy with such outfits. They want you to dispassionately look into their cases with a view to improving and not pulling you down. They should not be treated with levity. There seems to be a breakdown in communication between Air Peace and its clients which is not good for its biz. A business outfit is in biz for customer satisfaction vis-a-vis price & quality service delivery. When service is not rendered, funds should be returned pronto to clients; lest you lose further patronage. Customers are price sensitive and their grouse must be given due attention by management of Air Peace. Clients expect discounts during Yuletide season for their loyalty/patronage throughout the year and not illogical increases that seem exploitative. High turnover is the way to go this season instead of high profit margins as Air Peace and others are wont to do. However, I empathize with Air Peace on the cost of running an airline. But, the % increase – if necessary – should come with compassion or with human face! Let us give the presidency and the regulatory body a benefit of doubt to resolve the imbroglio in a win-win manner for all the parties concerned.
-Mike, Mushin, Lagos, 0816 111 4572