EFCC monitor: Abati granted bail, Bala mohammed remains in custody as the circle of suspicion, arrest and bail continues

by Ajadi Daniel

Analysis

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has granted administrative bail to the former media aid of ex President Jonathan, Reuben Abati, on conditions that he drops his International Passport and produces a surety of not below the rank of deputy director in the civil service.

But sources said Abati is yet to meet his bail conditions.

However, the EFCC has secured a court order to further detain Mr. Mohammed, former FCT minister. It was learnt that the commission decided to secure the order because the agency has not concluded the ongoing investigations.

The EFCC is investigating the former Minister for alleged fictitious contracts worth N1bn, allocation of 12 choice properties and 37 commercial plots to a suspected front. The commission is also said to be looking into an alleged controversial Abuja land swap deal valued at N1tn.

We obviously need a clear cut policy on how to deal with corruption matters or cases, absence of which is stifling the war against corruption. It is not enough to suspect people of corruption or arrest them, what happens after they have been brought in, treated like sacred cows? what exactly do we intend to achieve, could it be that we just want to make it known to the world that they are corrupt. It is easy to assume this because, most times after these people are granted bail, the case dies a natural death; hence the need for a clear cut anti-corruption strategy cum policy.

The President only told us he was going to fight corruption, but he never told us how he intend doing that. This is become worrisome because of the circle of suspicion, arrest and eventual bail. If the judiciary cannot be trusted to deal with corruption cases, then we can consider setting up special courts to address the matter. The fact is to destroy this hydra headed monster called corruption, all hands must be on deck and this usual circle of suspicion, arrest and bail has to give way to something much more serious. We must begin to take punitive measures.

The President should know that his anti corruption war is yet to convict any of the so called high profile suspects, and until we see these people being punished for their misdeeds, the war against corruption is just a mirage, until the shenanigan of plea bargain is put behind and people irrespective of how highly placed they might be are punished for defrauding the state, that new Nigeria devoid of corruption can as well remain imaginary.

Yet, there is no other President in the history of Nigeria who is strategically positioned to address this issue once and for all, and none in the old generation of leaders had ever had the trust of the people than President Buhari, so the onus lies on him to deliver and the time is now.