Faridaw Waziri
No 10 Porto Novo Street
A new petition to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan calls upon him to investigate the
“massive fraud” going on at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
under the leadership of Mrs. Farida Waziri.
Signed by Joseph Amadi on behalf of a group which calls itself the
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY LEAGUE, the petition alleges that Mrs. Waziri has
been enriching herself by negotiating deals in cases before her in which
she obtains huge commissions. .
The scams began soon after Mrs. Waziri assumed office, the writers say,
alleging an “extortionist committee headed by Mohammed A Bako” that the
EFCC chairperson set up which negotiated huge takings “in excess of 35%”
for cheques recovered before she assumed office that were awaiting
collection.
“Our investigation revealed that those who refused to part with any
bribe compelled EFCC to discount their cheques with the issuing bank,”
the petition says.
An important element in Mrs. Waziri’s approach to her job is the
Anti-Corruption Revolution Campaign (ANCOR), through which she has
sought to portray herself as being a forthright and dogged crusader.
Indeed, according to the Public Accountability League, Mrs. Waziri has
spent over N700 million on each of the ANCOR launches in Lagos and
Abuja. It observes, however, “This was never provided for in either
the 2008 or 2009 EFCC budgets,” and “the items used in the events never
passed through due process as they were never advertised for.”
Turning to the bank reform programme initiated by the Central Bank
governor, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, the group also alleges that Mrs. Waziri
negotiated 10% from the banks as administrative fees for funds
recovered. “Where are the monies recovered from bank debtors?” the
group asks. “And how much commission did she charge these banks?”
The group also raises questions about Mrs. Waziri’s acquisition of
property, alleging that since her assumption of office at the EFCC, she
has bought several homes in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Dubai.
Among the more stunning of the allegations, the group writes as follows:
“Waziri has since February 2009 been receiving the sum of N50 million
monthly from Intercontinental Bank Plc, N20 million monthly from Access
Bank and NI0 million monthly from Skye Bank Plc. These monies,
represent interests accruing to the over N300 billion recovered looted
funds including the N17 billion from former Inspector General of Police,
Mr. Tafa Balogun, placed as fixed deposits in these commercial banks by
the EFCC. These funds, were supposed to be placed in the federation
account instead of these commercial banks.”
The full text of the petition is as follows:
Fraud In EFCC- Farida Waziri’s Penchant For Negotiated Commission On
Recovered Funds
We are writing to intimate you of the massive fraud going on in the EFCC
since Mrs Farida Waziri took over as its Chairman. This fraud has been
ongoing but has reached a crescendo since the recovery of debts for the
failed banks. When Mrs took over at the EFCC, she inherited several
cheques of funds recovered by her predecessor which were not disbursed
to the beneficiaries. On assumption of office, Mrs Waziri advertised
that beneficiaries of the cheques should come forward to claim their
recovered funds. Mrs Waziri immediately set up an extortionist committee
headed by Mohammed A Bako. This group negotiated and collected on
behalf of Mrs Farida Waziri in excess of 35% for funds recovered before
beneficiary’s cheques were released. Several beneficiaries reluctantly
parted with these commissions while those who rebuffed are yet to
receive their funds. Our investigation revealed that those who refused
to part with any bribe compelled EFCC to discount their cheques with
the issuing bank. These banks were quick to accept EFCC request just to
remain in their good books thereby violating laid down procedure by
paying cash to EFCC for a cheque that belongs to another individual or
company. These funds end up in the coffers of Mrs Farida Waziri. This
practice has been ongoing and has reached an alarming proportion in the
recent recovery of loans from bank defaulters. Mrs Waziri negotiates for
10% from banks as administrative fee for all funds recovered. Banks
have not been able to complain due to threat and intimidation from the
Waziri led EFCC. Most debtors like Henry Imasekha, Peter Ololo etc have
parted with several millions to Mrs Farida Waziri.
We are attaching EFCC recovery list inherited by Farida Waziri. The
list contains case file Nos. Exhibit Nos, Date Cheque/Draft was issued,
Issuing Bank/Beneficiary, Amount and investigation Team.
In the recovery list No 60. A bank draft of N200million was issued to
Delta State Government, List No. 71. A draft of N300 million in favour
of Delta State Government and List No 83. for N200million in favour of
Delta State Government totaling N700 million.
Mr. Acting President, please ask Mrs Farida Waziri how she disbursed the
N700million due to Delta State Government. What role did James Ibori
and Emmanuel Uduaghan play in this disbursement? How much did she make
from the N700million?
How much percentage did she collect from companies like Nipco Ltd. and
Jugi Mann International Ltd. who protested the extortion of Farida
Waziri.
Where are the monies recovered from bank debtors? And how much
commission did she charge these banks.
Mr. Acting President, you just inaugurated the code of conduct bureau to
look into the assets declaration of civil servants, can you please ask
Mrs Farida Waziri to present her asset declaration form when she took
over and her assets to date both in Nigeria, UK and Dubai.
Since taking over as EFCC chairman in 2008, Mrs Farida Waziri has bought
several properties both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom and Dubai.
She bought from the FCDA a five bedroom detached house for N50.4 million
at No. 10 Port Novo Crescent Wuse 2 Abuja by Red Cross office. She
recently moved into the said 10 Port Novo crescent Wuse 2. This house is
valued for over N450 million.
Mrs Waziris penchant to amass properties in Abuja continued unabated,
She applied for properties with the FCT and it was approved immediately
by then Minister Umar Modibbo whom she was investigating.
Waziri’s Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) was offered to her the next
day. The C of 0 read that she was allocated Plot 1460 of 25 Trent River
Street, Maitama, Abuja with file number 60219 in Cadastral Zone, B06 of
MABUSHI.
However, her plot soon assume a game of hide-and-seek. According to a
source within FCT who knew about the transaction, Waziri and the former
minister suspected that people were aware of the land allocated to her.
Waziri, then, arranged with the FCT to change the ownership of her land.
On October 13th 2008, the Federal Capital Territory Administration
Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) wrote her a “withdrawal
letter” titled “Notice of Withdrawal of Right of Occupancy”, the short
letter, addressed to Mr. Farida Mzamber Waziri, stated that her Right of
Occupancy to Plot 1460 within B06 Mabushi was revoked by “DISCRETION BY
AUTHORITY.” The letter listed the Director of Development Control,
Director Legal, and Director “URP” as the source of the letter.(
Attached)
Two days after the revocation, the same plot was allocated to Waziri’s
daughter, Zainab Naomi Salawu. The same plot was now assigned a new file
number GO 60167. In an attempt to hide the exact identity of the
re-allocated land, FCT Officials gave the address as 2 River Trent
Crescent, Maitama – Abuja.
Mrs. Waziri sent Mohammed A. Bako, the EFCC protocol officer, to sign a
letter accepting the land. Bako, who signed on behalf of Zainab Naomi
Salawu, gave his EFCC Office Phone Number 09-6441118, and Mobile
Number: 0803-325-5447, his E-mail Address: abako@efccnigeria.org as well
as his home address in Karu Phase 1 Area of Abuja.
Mrs Farida Waziri received a Mercedes Benz GL 450 gift from Governor
Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom to stop ongoing investigation against her
and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu on billions of Naira stolen by the duo
from Akwa Ibom state coffers.
Waziri has since February 2009 been receiving the sum of N50 million
monthly from Intercontinental Bank Plc,N20 million monthly from Access
Bank and NI0 million monthly from Skye Bank Plc, These monies, represent
interests accruing to the over N300 billion recovered looted funds
including the N17 billion from former Inspector General of Police, Mr.
Tafa Balogun, placed as fixed deposits in these commercial banks by the
EFCC. These funds, were supposed to be placed in the federation account
instead of these commercial banks.
Waziri has spent over N700 million each in the ANCOR launch, in Lagos
and Abuja. This was never provided for in either the 2008 or 2009 EFCC
budgets. All the items used in the events never passed through due
process as they were never advertised for.
Mr. Acting President, we will avail you of more information and title
deeds of the properties recently acquired by Mrs Farida Waziri in
London. We have a very big surprise for you Mr. President, so that you
will see the nature of woman that is heading one of the most important
institutions in Nigeria.
It will be worthwhile if the fight against corruption is to be fought,
let it be by people of integrity.
We wish you well Mr. Acting President and the world is watching you and
commend your efforts in the sack of former INEC chairman, IWU.
Yours Sincerely,
For: PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY LEAGUE
JOSEPH AMADI