Agbonayinma gives EFCC 14-day ultimatum to reopen Atiku case
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — A former member of the House of Representatives and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), giving the agency 14 days to reopen and prosecute a financial crimes case allegedly involving former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Agbonayinma warned that if the EFCC failed to act within the 14-day period, he would take legal action against the commission.
The petition was filed on behalf of Agbonayinma by his Principal Counsel, Hannibal Egbe Uwaifo, SAN, of Sagitarian Law Firm.
In the petition, the former lawmaker alleged that the EFCC investigated allegations of corruption involving Atiku between 2005 and 2006, when he was Vice President.
He claimed that following the investigation, the EFCC released a report titled, “The EFCC Report on Vice-President Abubakar Atiku (Full Report),” dated September 2006.
According to the petition, the report contained allegations of corrupt practices, money laundering and other financial crimes involving the former Vice President.
The petition stated that although the EFCC had allegedly vowed to prosecute Atiku after he left office, when he was covered by constitutional immunity, no prosecution had taken place.
It read in part: “That although the allegations were mind-boggling and the EFCC vowed to prosecute Alhaji Abubakar Atiku as soon as he leaves office as Vice President (being covered by Constitutional Immunity then), nothing has been done till date despite public outcry both within and outside Nigeria.”
Agbonayinma alleged that the EFCC’s failure to act on the matter constituted a dereliction of duty and undermined the agency’s anti-corruption mandate.
He also referred to an alleged investigation by the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, saying it had made allegations relating to money laundering and other financial crimes against Atiku in a report dated February 4, 2010.
The petitioner urged the EFCC to reactivate both the commission’s 2006 report and the US Senate report as the basis for prosecuting Atiku.
“In the circumstances, it is the demand of our Client that the EFCC report and the report of the United States Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs report dated February 4, 2010, be reactivated as a basis for the immediate prosecution of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku to serve as a deterrent,” the petition stated.
Agbonayinma said the prosecution of the case would demonstrate the EFCC’s commitment to tackling corruption, particularly cases involving high-profile individuals.
The petition added: “Our Client believes that the present leadership at the EFCC has all it takes to bring Nigeria out of the high corruption index for which the country is presently infamous, and the prosecution of this case will represent one of the greatest milestone achievements of your anti-corruption body.”
The former lawmaker subsequently gave the commission 14 days from the date of the petition to act on his demand.
“Take notice that if, after 14 days of this letter, your Commission, the EFCC, refuses or neglects to act, our further instruction is to take legal action against your Commission,” the petition warned.
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