Posted by By Astro Jewoola on
Spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Osita Nwajah, has become the latest casualty in the crusade by the new helmsman of the commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, to remove the last vestiges of Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the former EFCC boss.
Spokesman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Osita Nwajah, has become the latest casualty in the crusade by the new helmsman of the commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, to remove the last vestiges of Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the former EFCC boss.
P.M.News investigations showed that Nwajah was removed from his position as Public Relations Officer of the commission, and replaced by a journalist, Mr. Femi Babafemi of The Sun Newspapers.
However, Nwajah told P.M.News. this morning on phone that he was not aware of his redeployment and that currently he was at his duty post. Investigation further revealed that before Nwajah's redeployment, the commission's Chief of Staff and one of Ribadu's key aides, Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, was redeployed. This was followed by a massive redeployment of officers of the commission by Waziri.
Those suspected to be Ribadu's loyalists were moved from their positions at the Abuja Headquarters of the commission and transferred to other states of the federation. Since assumption of office about two weeks ago, Waziri has taken measures to reduce the influence of Ribadu at the commission and chart a new course.
Meanwhile, a Lagos-based group, Campaign for Democracy (CD), has called for the immediate resignation of Waziri and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa. CD made the call during a peaceful protest led by its president, Dr. (Mrs.) Joe Okei-Odumakin and others at the Lagos office of the EFCC. 'If the two public officers will live up to their integrity, which they claimed they have, this is the time for them to go. Nigerians are demanding for their resignation," she stated during the protest. In a letter dated 10 June, 2008 and signed by Okei-Odumakin, she stated: 'Since you were appointed as the nation's Attorney-General and Minister of Justice last year, you have consistently worked against the interest of the government and good people of Nigeria and thereby ridicule the stance of Yar'Adua administration to uphold the rule of law.
'Specifically, you have frustrated the prosecution of certain criminal suspects by hiding under the Rule of Law. Instead of collaborating with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Code of Conduct Bureau, you have interfered with their statutory duties and functions in your bid to shield some people from prosecution.
'You have opposed the efforts of two patriotic Nigerians to compel the Federal Government to prosecute Mrs. Patricia Etteh, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. 'On many occasions, you deliberately prevented the British, American and French authorities from investigating and prosecuting many criminals accused of committing serious economic and financial crimes." Based on all these, the group demanded the resignation of Aondoakaa and Waziri, without further delay. Receiving the letter on behalf of his boss, Mr. Wilson Uwajaren of the EFCC, stated that the letter will be forwarded to the Headquarters, Abuja. He declined further comments.