Stage-managed media trials reason EFCC loses high-profile corruption cases –Govs

Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has claimed that the reason the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has continue to lose high-profile corruption cases at the law courts could be because of its unfairly stage-managed media trials against its victims.

NGF stated this on Monday while denying that any money was stolen or embezzled from the Paris-London Club refunds to states or from any other source as being claimed by the anti-graft agency.

There have been series of reports in the media on how a governor, reportedly, the NGF chairman and Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, is building a $3million hotel from monies allegedly stolen from the Paris-Club refund paid to the states by the Federal Government.

But reacting on the claim in a statement in Abuja on Monday, the Head, Media and Public Affairs at NGF secretariat, Mr Abulrazque Barkindo, denied allegation that Governor Yari is building a $3million hotel from monies stolen from refunds to states.

Noting that the false allegation gave cause for worry Barkindo said, “The reports contain harmful, damaging and libellous insinuations which remain largely unsubstantiated, despite the fact that it attributes the leaks to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials in Lagos.

“Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar has said emphatically that he does not even own a plot of land in Lagos not to talk of a hotel”.

According to Barkindo, some EFCC officials in Lagos claimed that “they have found a hotel being constructed by Yari with three million dollars he stole from London-Paris Club loan refund to Nigerian states.” He added that they also claimed that “Yari also diverted N500million from the Paris Club refund to pay off a loan.”

Barkindo while describing these claims as wrong, harmful, libellous and misleading insisted, that “Gov Yari is not building any hotel in Lagos nor were any monies stolen or embezzled from the Paris-London Club refunds to states or from any other source.

“This is perhaps why the EFCC has lost most of the high-profile corruption cases at the law courts after it had unfairly stage-managed media trials and caused their victims personal pain and public umbrage.

“This report, typical of most of the exclusive leaks that are becoming characteristic of the sources that court some sections of the media, lacks detail and compelling evidence to be fit to print. Barkindo said that the sources were courageous enough to mention a hotel in Lekki area of Lagos but gave neither a street name nor any specific information on the property to give credibility to the allegations.

“This does no service to any investigation nor does it help the development of our country Nigeria. The media, we all know, is entitled to perform its duties as watchdog of society, which is enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It is not, however, entitled to make unfair attacks, based on unfounded, false and unsubstantiated allegations against responsible public office holders”, he stated.

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