Posted by By Tony Eluemunor (Abuja) and Habib Aruna (Lagos) on
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, has been holding meetings with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to intensify the search for corrupt Nigerian public officials.
• Exchange dossier on corrupt officials • What FBI took from Atiku's home
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, has been holding meetings with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to intensify the search for corrupt Nigerian public officials.
He was in the U.S. last week to meet with senior government and FBI officials and to exchange information on the activities of Nigerian politicians, especially governors being investigated for corrupt practices.
Ribadu, according to sources, was sighted in Maryland and Washington D.C. where he had meetings with U.S. officials (in the company of an EFCC investigator) to obtain additional information on the property deeds of some governors and pass details to the INTERPOL.
He also used the visit to obtain more information on the raid the FBI carried out last month on the property of Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
The search of his home in Maryland attracted national attention in Nigeria last week.
It was linked to the investigation of Congressman William Jefferson, whom Atiku had hosted during his visit to the U.S.
But Ribadu, who returned later in the week, reportedly achieved little success due to the national outcry generated by the slow response of the American Government to the destruction of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.
Besides, the FBI has tarried in its investigation of Jefferson who incidentally hails from New Orleans.
'The FBI is threading carefully in pursuing new leads in the investigation against Jefferson because of the sensitive nature and political dimension it might take", a source explained.
In any case, Daily Independent has obtained a list of what the FBI seized during the raid.
The document, titled 'Receipt for Property Received/Returned/Released/Seized", was signed by the leader of the FBI team.
It stated that the items included
• 1A envelope with house sketch.
• Employee schedule information and employee contact information.
• Green 'Standard diary".
• 2005 appointment book.
• Possible list of camera locations.
• Software and operation manual for DVR.
• Kalatel digital recorder.
• Multiplayer.
• Manila envelope containing miscellaneous papers with William Jefferson's return address.
Atiku's family lawyers supplied Daily Independent with the document.
They deplored the attempt by some newspapers to sensationalise the issue through the 'fabrication of falsehood".