by Alexander O. Onukwe

The EFCC has been accused of performing badly in anti-corruption trials because of their reliance on negative media reports.

This reason was given by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Abubakar Malami while establishing a new unit under the Ministry that will be henceforth involved in all prosecutions by the EFCC.

Malami and Magu are feuding within the period of much media focus on the properties and assets of Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum being followed by the EFCC for allegedly looting billions of naira from Nigeria’s treasury in her five years under President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015.

A video of an interview of Dalhatu Tafida, a former campaign coordinator for Jonathan, reveals that the former Minister was “the untouchable” and that the stealing which went on within that administration was not reported to the President.

No formal case has been brought against Mrs Alison-Madueke as she remains in the UK. Charly Boy’s Our Mumu Don Do movement staged a sit-out on Monday, August 28, demanding that she be returned to the country to face charges, but with the EFCC and the Ministry of Justice in an arm wrestle, the level of focus that will be involved in prosecuting her case successfully and fairly would come into question.

Diezani Alison-Madueke is no small player in the political landscape of Nigeria, even if she may not be in the good books of the party in power today. Her diminished status would not automatically make her guilty or easy to throw under the bus. There would still be some highly placed persons with interests in getting her either dubiously acquitted or unfairly condemned by all means.

Should the EFCC and the Ministry of Justice seek to run a transparent case in which Nigerians will be convinced that the due process is being followed, both men may have to take their hands off each other’s collars and fold up their sleeves towards achieving the same goal.