Inter-agency rivalry: Intervene now, SERAP tells Buhari
Two days after the face-off between the operatives of the EFCC, SSS and the NIA, a group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Buhari to “urgently instruct the leadership of the SSS and NIA to allow anti-corruption agencies carry out their mandate without any interference whatsoever.”
The group also condemned the imbroglio as counter-productive to the fight against grand corruption.”
In a statement made available on Wednesday and signed by SERAP deputy director Timothy Adewale, the organization said that, “Preventing the arrest of a former DG of the DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong; and a former DG of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke so that they are unavailable to answer the charges of corruption against them amounts to abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
According to SERAP, it is patently contrary to Nigerian law and international standards such as the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.
The statement reads in part: “Nothing more fundamentally undermines public confidence in the fight against grand corruption and trust in government than to see state security agencies paid for by public funds apparently aiding and abetting those suspected of engaging in corruption to escape justice.
“Obstructing the work of anti corruption agencies is a text-book case of interference with the orderly administration of law and justice, which can send a particularly damaging message that the government may not be truly committed to the fight against corruption. This may in turn affect the government’s whistle-blower policy and discourage the public from coming forward and providing the authorities with useful evidence of grand corruption.
“By moving speedily to stop this kind of behaviour by the SSS and NIA officials, Buhari would be making clear that under his watch those accused of grand corruption would not be allowed to circumvent the law no matter their status in the society.
“Protecting suspected perpetrators from facing justice for corruption may suggest that officials of SSS and NIA are trying to cover up allegations of corruption against those involved.
“Fighting corruption is not just for the EFCC alone or any corruption-specific mandate agencies but it is for all state security officials and law enforcement agencies to cooperate and work together to support the government to achieve its oft-repeated commitment to combat grand corruption and impunity of perpetrators. Buhari must wade in to end this face-off if his government is to successfully stop the spread of corruption in the country and protect the integrity and authority of anti-corruption agencies.”
Peter Fowoyo
