Names of some high profile individuals being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have been revealed.

The Punch, in a report, said a list it obtained contained the names of Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen; Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State; his predecessor and the current Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and the immediate past Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The names are in the list of high-profile cases involving over 100 politically-exposed persons and top-ranking public officers still being investigated by the EFCC as of August 2017.

The list was recently sent by the EFCC to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Among other notable names on the list are the incumbent Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and his predecessor, Captain Idris Wada.

Other former governors on the list include Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who is now the Senate Minority Leader; Jonah Jang of Plateau State, the Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial District; Senator Ali Modu Sherriff of Borno State, the sacked National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party; and Chief Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State.

There are also some ministers who served in the Jonathan administration, including the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke; AGF and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN); a Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed; Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, who is now the Senator representing Anambra North Senatorial District; and a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe.

Alison-Madueke’s husband’s name, Real Admiral Alison Madueke (retd), former presidential spokesmen, Dr. Reuben Abati and Dr. Doyin Okupe are also on the list.

Other prominent high-profile persons on the list are a former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko; a former acting Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus; Colonel Bello Fadile (rtd), who served under the immediate past National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki; the incoming Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Kafarati; and Justice Mohammed Tsamiya, who was recently retired compulsorily by the National Judicial Council.

Recall that Malami last week has announced plans to create a central body that will coordinate all criminal prosecutions in the country.

Malami revealed the policy reforms that will give his office more powers over EFCC.

The new body, to be inaugurated in October, will comprise a Coordinating Centre for all federal government criminal justice agencies as well as an investigation unit.

The minister said the coordinating centre has become “eminently necessary” because of lack of effective cooperation and collaboration among the criminal justice and security agencies in Nigeria.

He explained that the centre will “Promote and enhance quick and easy coordination of all federal criminal cases within the Federal Republic of Nigeria;

“Enable the Office of the HAGF to checkmate abuse and or proliferation of criminal cases in Nigeria;

“Facilitate centralization and easy access to information for a robust and effective criminal justice system in Nigeria;

“Address such anomalies that leads to consistent rejection of vital/relevant evidence in the course of prosecution;

*Whittle down of the probative value of such evidence owing to inappropriate investigation.”

The unit, he said, shall coordinate and form part of every investigation in Nigeria for a robust investigation and successful prosecution of such cases.

The core function/mandate of the Investigation Unit shall consist of the following:

“To advise every security agency carrying out investigation on the best lawful and admissible means of such investigation for effective prosecution thereafter;

“To actively form part of every sensitive and important investigation, as a synergy to successful investigation and prosecution of such cases;

“To ensure that every evidence obtained maintain the nature, value and form admissible in law court;

“To ensure that every investigation is comprehensibly and conclusively conducted;

Agencies that will come under the supervision of the coordinating centre include Department of State Services (DSS); Nigeria Police Force (NPF); the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC); the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Others are the National Agency for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP); the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); the Directorate Military Investigation (DMI); and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
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What we require from the President Buhari administration is a thorough work on this fight against corruption and not a one-sided thing like it’s being perceived.

This list consists of only PDP members. Is EFCC saying the APC members and other individuals have not done anything to warrant their names being mentioned?

I don’t want to rely too much on this report because Nigerians have seen something like this in the past which eventually did not amount to nothing.

Nigerians should know that petitioning EFCC concerning someone does not literarily mean he or she is corrupt.

It is when EFCC concludes its investigation that we would know if anyone is involved in any corruption or not. So, a mere mention here is not a judgment in itself.

In line with what the Minister of Justice, Malami said that there’s need for a coordinating centre for all government criminal justice agencies, it informs that there would have been a violation of that perceived freedom those agencies enjoyed in the past, one of which is victimization, prejudice, etc, supposed opposition.

Care must be taken so that EFCC does not engage in media prosecution like the police did in case of Evans, for which it was sued.

Since the trial of government officials began for an alleged involvement in corruption, NOI has never been mentioned. But now that it is, I hope the investigation would not vilify her.

How authentic is the report containing the list of the top officials mentioned? It looks more like one-sided case.

How authentic is the report containing the list of the top officials mentioned? It looks more like one-sided case.

It is a matter still under investigation and hasn’t been concluded, therefore, we can’t conclude they are guilty. I believe NOI will not be vilified.

Have you wondered why the Buhari led admistration’s top officials are not being mentioned. There is something more to it.

Top officials under the platform of All Progressive Congress should be probed as well.

‘’There is lack of effective cooperation and collaboration among criminal justice and security agencies in Nigeria’’ – this draws an attention to the inefficacy and incompetence of the so called security agency.

Top officials under the platform of All Progressive Congress should be probed as well.

Have you wondered why the Buhari led admistration’s top officials are not being mentioned. There is something more to it.

It is a matter still under investigation and hasn’t been concluded, therefore, we can’t conclude they are guilty. I believe NOI will not be vilified.

How authentic is the report containing the list of the top officials mentioned? It looks more like one-sided case