The Battle Against Corruption

Report on Ribadu’s lecture at ThisDay Global Conference at Astoria Hotel, New York on Monday 24 September 2007

If there is anyone that has had his name mentioned once and again in the battle against corruption in Nigeria, it is the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who said recently in a lecture that he was ready to die to rid the nation of corruption, adding, he was ready to confront corrupt Nigerians, irrespective of their status. If a Nigeria is so committed to ridding the country of corruption, why should anyone have the gut to label every Nigeria as corrupt?

In the lecture, Ribadu also insisted that neither the EFFC nor the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission was a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

More on the report as broken by the Punch Newspaper:

He said, “Niger Delta leaders are buying aeroplanes and estates in Miami, and somebody is saying I shouldn‘t be tough on them. Where else does that happen?

“Corruption is responsible for our country‘s current state, including our terrible image. We don‘t have power and security simply because of corruption.

“When you fight corruption, it fights back. Eight EFCC staff have been murdered, we just don‘t want to be talking about it. I have been maligned and condemned, but it is our country and I think it is worth dying for.”

Responding to a question from a member of the audience on why the EFCC had refused to arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo and a former Minister of Works, Chief Tony Anenih, Ribadu said Obasanjo ought to be given credit for initiating the anti-coruption war.

He said contrary to the figure quoted as the budget of the ministry under Anenih, the EFCC found out that it got less than N50bn instead of N300bn vote.

He challenged anyone with proof that Obasanjo and Anenih had case to answer to come to the EFCC office.

He added, “There are worse criminals than Obasanjo and Anenih.

“People should be asking that such criminals should be brought to justice rather than Obasanjo.”

To those who insist that the anti-corruption war is selective, the EFCC chairman simply said, ”If Nuhu is not doing it – going after them – another person can.”

Ribadu said it was not possible for development to thrive with corruption, adding that there had to be a clean-up.

But he agreed that such an effort would have to be within the rule of law.

Ribadu‘s speech was mostly passionate as he was hitting the table and knocking it a few times.

Responding to a question from our correspondent, he clarified that he was not giving Obasanjo and Anenih a clean bill of health because the EFCC was not in the business of issuing clearance to anybody.

In his contribution, the ICPC Chairman asked the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency for the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria.

Ayoola said there was a need to suspend the rights of those who indulged in corruption to quicken the pace of justice and cleanse the country.

He said, “If we agree to suspend these rights in five years, I am sure the fight against corruption will be successful.

“Corrupt people go to court, getting orders and stopping investigations. If you do not investigate, how do you know if someone is corrupt?

“Nigeria‘s criminal justice system has gone into a shambles.”

He cited 40 ongoing suits of the ICPC, none of which had gone to trial because of procedural delay.

He said the delay had been ‘bringing comfort to the corrupt.’

Ayoola said only those who were angry could be part of the anti-corruption war in the country.

“I tell ICPC staff that if they are not angry with corruption they have no business in ICPC,” he said.

When asked to give details on the idea of suspending rights, Ayoola said rights abrogation would only affect corrupt people.

He said he would support the creation of a special tribunal to tackle corruption cases.

He added that cases in ordinary courts were dragging for too long. He said some corruption cases had been on since 2001.

But he conceded that ”a state of emergency is not a perfect state, but it is required to meet an emergency situation.”

The former Supreme Court Justice wondered why the victims of corruption were fighting for the corrupt.

“There is a shield surrounding the corrupt. Corrupt citizens have their own strategies, but we are up to the battle,” he said.

He expressed disdain for the negative impact of corruption on the country.

Ayoola, who jokingly recalled how someone had referred to him as a ‘living museum’ said, ”People like me grew up in Nigeria with little wealth and much integrity.

“In 1952, I sat for the Higher School Certificate. I invigilated myself, and the time given was three hours. When it was three hours, I stopped.”

Ayoola recalled the story to underscore the view that Nigerians are people of integrity.

“Lack of integrity is not part of us. I will be 74 in October, and I knew when our country was glorious, not as rich as today. But we were not corrupt then, people had integrity,” he added.

On funding of anti-corruption agencies, Ayoola said, “You do not fight a battle without committing resources to the battle.”

In her contribution, the Vice-President of the World Bank, Oby Ezekwesili, said the battle against corruption in Nigeria should not be personalised, but be institutionalised.

She said it ought not to be about Ribadu or the ICPC chairman, but about the entire society.

She said the civil society would have to work together to break the back of corruption.

Senator Victor Udo Udoma said that the National Assembly recognised the need to institutionalise the fight against corruption with every Nigerian as a stakeholder.