Posted by By JESSICA EMERUWA on
There are indications that a retired Inspector General of Police (AIG), Mrs. Farida Waziri, is being considered for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) top job being vacated y Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
There are indications that a retired Inspector General of Police (AIG), Mrs. Farida Waziri, is being considered for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) top job being vacated y Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. Some top presidency officials were said to have recommended Mrs Waziri to President Umar Musa Yar'Adua as a neutral candidate that can keep the anti-corruption fire aflame.
Beside presidency officials, it was also learnt that retired big guns in the security and intelligence circles were said to have made favourable recommendations to President Yar'Adua on Mrs Waziri.
Apart from Waziri, a serving AIG, Mr Haruna Yusuf who heads police Zone 12 Bauchi is also being considered for the top job while the Police Commissioner in charge of the police Special Anti-Fraud Unit, Mr Yinka Balogun is on the card.
She is said to have gotten many favourable recommendations for the job because she headed the police Anti-Fraud Unit between 1996 and 1999 during which Ribadu and the EFCC Director of Operations, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde were trained by her.
Waziri is also being considered so that a tough woman in the mould of NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Dora Akunyili, can again head the EFCC.
Widely described as a tough and disciplined anti-graft crusader while in service, Mrs Waziri was said to have retired from the police in 2000.
Speaking on her consideration for the EFCC job weekend, outspoken Senator, Joseph Waku and retired police commissioner, Abubakar Tsav said with her, the anti-corruption war in the country could only get tougher.
According to Tsav, "she is a good, honest and upright officer who possesses two degrees at Masters level (LLM and International Relations). She headed the fraud unit and Ribadu served directly under her. She came into the police with primary six certificate and left with two masters degrees.
"She is straight forward and tough and has the attributes of Prof Dora Akunyili; she is a good candidate."
Tsav, however, said that the only snag Mrs Waziri has is that she may have the temptation of protecting Ribadu's faults "because Ribadu and Lamorde served directly under her in the anti-fraud unit."
Waku on his part said, "Ribadu's toughness will be a child's play to what Mrs Waziri will do in EFCC if she is eventually appointed to head the place because she trained Ribadu and some of the boys with him today.
" I think her person will be the only way to reassure Nigerians that Yar'Adua's government is still very much committed to the anti-graft war because I won't deceive you, the woman is tough and of high integrity, she can't be compromised by anyone or anything."
Married to Ambassador Adamu Ajuji Waziri from Gombe State who until two months ago was the nation's ambassador to Turkey, Mrs Waziri hails from Benue State.
Balogun who is being celebrated for his achievements at the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti, in Lagos and his attainments in the short period spent at he Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, appears to have been adequately prepared for the role.
He was trained at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy, Quantico, USA and the University of West Virginia in 2000.
He also did a Senior Management course at the University of Jos in 1985; Junior Command Course at Police Staff College, Jos in 1987; Intermediate Command Course, Police Staff College, Jos, Jaji, in 1991 and command course/ASCON Senior Management course, Police staff college, Jos in 2001, besides several national and international conferences he has attended on Anti-Corruption war, Piracy and copyright law.