EFCC, banks and war on corruption

THAT the EFCC came out recently to say that it has been having difficulties tracing the transactions of ex-governor, James Ibori, because the banks involved have not been reporting such transactions, is indeed ridiculous and sparks of negligence on the part of the anti-graft agency. It is indeed sad to hear such from the highly respected EFCC.

With due and profound respect to the anti-graft agency, one cannot deny the fact that the body has been relentless in its fight against corruption, and has done a good job so far. That notwithstanding, when the agency claims to be fighting a total war on corruption, then, that war should not only be total, it must be seen to be total. In that wise, any one found wanting should be made to face the music, and no excuse should be entertained.

The truth is that banks in this country are guided by well spelt-out rules enacted to monitor customers’ transactions, and thus fish out fraudulent transactions.

There are equally mechanisms in place to ensure that banks comply with the various anti-corruption statutes. Particular in this regard, is the regulation mandating all banks to report all suspicious transactions on the one hand to the EFCC, NDLEA, and the CBN, and on the other hand report all transactions above N500,000 for an individual and N2 million for corporate bodies to the above-mentioned bodies.

The question now is this, do banks comply with these regulations and report transactions to the EFCC? If they do, how come the EFCC has been finding it difficult tracing Ibori’s transactions? Another question that deserves immediate answer is the fact that so many ex-governors are on trial presently, yet no bank has been axed in connection with these fraudulent transactions, even though they are always named to have conspired and aided these fraudulent ex-governors to perpetrate these frauds? Given the recent claim of the EFCC, why has there not been any action to investigate these banks?

Given EFCC’s unflinc-hing stance of no sacred cow in the ongoing anti-corruption fight, should the EFCC not go after these banks and ensure that anyone found guilty is appropriately punished, to serve as a deterrent to others?

One is not saying that it is all banks that are involved in these fraudulent practices with corrupt governors, there are many reputable banks in the country. But Nigerian banks should know they are supposed to be agents of economic development in the country, and so they must also help the country in its war on corruption. After all, corruption is affecting us all.

It is on this note that one calls EFCC’s attention to the fact that Nigerians patiently await sanitation of the banking industry by the EFCC. It is high time the corruption fight is fought as it should be fought.

Olusola Adegbite,
Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Osun State.

Politicians should emulate late Awoniyi

Indeed, “Iife is but a walking shadow”. It is now a reality that Chief Sunday Mobolorunduro Awoniyi the Aro and Ariwajoye of Mopa, Kogi State, is no more. This is one death too many for Nigeria under the present economic, social and political development and reforms. While he was alive, Awoniyi represented a ‘giant’ and formidable character of enviable qualities that are not easily found and combined in a single mortal. As a bureaucrat, civil servant and politician, he was an epitome of honesty, transparency, accountability, dedication, commitment, selflessness, reliability, high integrity, resourcefulness, intelligence and native knowledge. He was highly principled. He was bold and fearless. He was blunt and would talk point-blank irrespective of whose horse is gored. These are qualities expected of a good leader.

Chief Sunday Awoniyi played clean politics rather than “jeun jeun” type of politics now common among Nigrian politicians. He stood for justice, truth and he fought gallantly against tyranny and anti-democratic tendencies in governance. He was meek and a great bridge builder and that is why he was chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), till his death. A position he used positively, till he died, to bridge the gap, not only between the majority group of Hausa-Fulani and numerous minorities in the North, but also between the North and Southern regions of the country.

The Aro of Mopa was sharp in the brain and in the analysis of events. This I got to know when we were together at the National Constitutional Conference between 1994 and 1995. It was his ambition to be one of the leaders of a truly national party.

He was not a conservative in the strictest sense of the word and I was not surprised he finally ended up in PDP of which he became the first chairman of its Board of Trustees (BOT). He was never a ‘yes’ man and would not be tele-guided nor be a ‘stooge’ under any circumstance. Events after him have vindicated him up to high heavens, and he is undoubtedly a role model for aspiring politicians in Nigeria. Our present crop of politicians should therefore emulate the late Chief Sunday Awoniyi.

Chief (Dr.) Oluremi Atanda, OFR
Ibadan.