Corruption is like a seed germinated and grew like a plant with the naming of Nigeria by Lord Lugard and his lady friend and the growth through the years spread like a virus into the fabrics of our nation; politics, economy, health,religion, social life , education and security. Like a demon, corruption today has taken a new dimension, as it can bark and even fight and emasculate anyone trying to pull it down. Today, corruption has the ability to change black into white. Today, corruption can buy anyone even decision-makers and law-makers to speak on its behalf. Today, corruption can buy a university degree for the lazy son. Today, corruption can secure admission for an unqualified son or daughter. Today, corruption can secure a job in any government or private institution for his son or daughter. Yes, corruption can not only get recognition from government but can get a chieftaincy title from any traditional ruler in the country. This is how powerful corruption has grown. This is the mightiness of corruption. No wonder President Mohammadu Buhari once admonished Nigerians that if we don’t kill corruption, it may turn around to kill the country. So, when on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, it was reported that gun men in the early hours invaded the office of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and opened fire, damaging vehicles parked in the premises. Though they were repelled by guards on duty, yet they managed to drop a message in a white envelope which pronounced “death”on Mr Ishaku Sharu, a senior investigator with the Commission. According to the report, Mr Ishaku heads the foreign exchange malpractices fraud section and he is in charge of corruption investigation involving several politicians and retired top military officers. Records from the commission shows that over seven investigators of the commission have been attacked with two killed by gun men supposedly carrying out the bidding of some corrupt people being prosecuted by the commission. It further added that three weeks ago another investigator, Austin Okwor was shot and wounded by unknown assailants in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
There is a chasm all over the world between criminals and the law enforcement agencies. That is why the creator declared that where there is light, darkness cannot comprehend it and so it is always impossible for evil to overshadow goodness. In order words light does not have anything to do with evil because they are always opposing each other. The attack on EFCC should not be taken lightly, because it was an attack on the number one anti graft agency headquarters. This attack speaks volume about the effrontery and gut of criminals in Nigeria. Indeed It was a major security breach .
The way things are going, with the availability of firearms that easily filter into the country from the creeks, savannah and the borders, one can easily say corruption has gone ga-ga when the growing army of unemployed youths are readily available to be used for such mischief by persons who want to be above the law. Truely, every concerned government should be quaking with the statistics of unemployed youths roaming the streets of Nigeria. A trip to many market places, motor parks etc. are good indicators of the time bomb we are playing with as a country. How else can one explain this scenario painted above, were young men were recruited to execute such heinous operation for an unscrupulous and dented corrupt persons. Those alledgedly behind this attack would have paid and armed these unemployed youths to risk their lives just to carry out their nefarious mission. I was surprised none of them was gunned down, and had that happened, what a wasted soul that would have been. What this paints out is that corrupt big men in our society can go to any length to fight institutions of government. They can go to any length to even destroy those constitutionally empowered to checkmate their evil activities in the country. This is a pointer, that if an investigator can be hunted with the ease of attack dogs like gun men, could that not have played out when the acting chairman, Mr, lbrahim Magu faced the Senate? How does one explain the insistence of some senators not to approve his nomination despite presidential intervention. Corrupt suspects are like the Mexican drug lords, who go after law enforcement agents, top prosecutors and top government officials just to either cover their tracks or evade prosecution.There are still dangerous high profile men and women in our society that ought to be caged by the law. They are willing to carry out any dastardly act that would impede justice over them. Their tentacles are wide and sometimes very effective until the law catches up on them or catches them in their track. A closer appraisal of the location of the anti corruption agency office need to be seriously looked into by the government. This should be a clarion call for the commission to hasten up with the construction of its new headquarters and relocate. A more fortified and serene environment would help investigators to better their game. The attack trend should portray a worrisome picture to the federal government that set up the institution. The question is, did we engaged these men and women as meat for evil Nigerians to devour just because they are doing their job? Did we employ them without adequate provision for their safety? This ought not to be, for no one can put in his best in an unsafe environment , the same with the head of the institution. Such an appointment should have the safety of the personnels guaranteed. One of which should be a bullet proof official car. After all, legislators whose security are not so much threatened are provided with such facility, why not the anti- graft head. His resident must also be well secured same with those of the exposed investigators like Mr Ishaku Sharu. Such investigators need to be reassured of their personal safety after all, he is staking his head to fight highly placed corrupt people in the society. If this writer can be severally attacked and threatened and his house burgled for writing, exposing some people and stepping on their big toes, how much more identifiable investigators like Ishaku Sharu and lbrahim Magu. All over the world crime writers and crime investigators are perennial victims of drug barons, terrorists, criminals and corrupt “leaders” and politicians. If the needful are urgently addressed and the commission is quickly relocated to the new permanent building, it would have gone a long way in reducing the threats on EFCC personnels.
Corruption goes gaga
