Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ABUJA1574
2008-08-08 17:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:  

NIGERIA: EFCC DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO WAZIRI

Tags:  PGOV PREL EFIN KCOR KCRM NI 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUJA #1574/01 2211722
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 081722Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3616
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0523
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0369
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 9763
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0037
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001574 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA
DOE FOR GEORGE PERSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN KCOR KCRM NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: EFCC DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO WAZIRI

REF: A. STATE 84635

B. ABUJA 1465

C. ABUJA 1331

Classified By: A/DCM Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b & d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001574

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA
DOE FOR GEORGE PERSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EFIN KCOR KCRM NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: EFCC DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO WAZIRI

REF: A. STATE 84635

B. ABUJA 1465

C. ABUJA 1331

Classified By: A/DCM Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b & d).


1. (C) Summary: Charge delivered reftel demarche to Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairwoman Farida
Waziri on August 8. Waziri called the USG position
"unfortunate" and maintained that much of the issue with USG
concerns is perception. She expressed concern for how cases
were handled under Ribadu and claimed (as did the Attorney
General in yesterday's meeting - see septel) that Ribadu had
fed "all sorts of stories" to Washington officials. She
maintained that her record in three months was actually
impressive and included several high profile cases. She
promised to provide Charge a list of all redeployed police
staff, their positions and who had received training. Waziri
told Charge she will not travel to Washington in September,
in light of our demarche. She stressed several times that
her commitment is to the EFCC as an institution and that she
will do her "best no matter what." Our concerns were
communicated strongly and appeared to be clearly received.
We will watch closely Waziri's actions in response to our
points. End Summary.


2. (C) Charge, accompanied by A/PolCouns, delivered Ref A
demarche points to EFCC Chairwoman Farida Waziri on August 8.
Waziri called the USG position "unfortunate" and stressed
(as she has done previously) that we should not believe what
we read in the newspapers (Ref. B). Waziri lamented that
there is always resistance to change and that no one should
be considered indispensable. She claimed, as did Attorney
General Michael Aondoakaa on August 7 (septel),that Ribadu
had been "jetting to the U.S." and "feeding all sorts of
stories" to Washington officials. She asked that the USG
support the EFCC as an institution, regardless of the
leadership, but indicated "its okay, I will do my best no
matter what." Waziri told Charge she is "bent on succeeding,
especially because of all the things that have been said."
Waziri told Charge that AG Aondoakaa briefed President

Yar'Adua following Charge's meeting on August 7.


3. (C) Waziri told Charge that corruption is "destroying
Nigeria" and that she recognized this. Waziri maintained
that much of the issue with regard to USG concerns is
perception. Ribadu, she noted, was a young person who worked
extensively with the media. Waziri maintained that in her
first three months at the EFCC plenty of high profile cases
have moved forward, including: the Police Equipment Fund
arrests (Ref. C),the arraigning of former Ministers of
Aviation (Ref. C),the arrest of former Plateau Governor
Michael Botmang (arraigned July 18),the arrest of former
Adamawa Governor Bonnie Haruna (arrested July 31) and the
August 7 arrest of former Military Governor of Ondo State,
former head of the Nigerian Ports Authority and immediate
past Deputy National Chairman of the ruling Peoples'
Democratic Party (PDP) Bode George. George's arrest in
particular, Waziri said, would not have been carried out by
the EFCC under Ribadu's leadership. (Note: Waziri was not in
the office on August 7. She told Charge she stayed home to
rest as she had been on the phone all night long receiving
calls about George's arrest and had to personally oversee the
entire process to make sure it was handled correctly. End
Note.) Waziri maintained that cases under Ribadu were not
handled according to the rule of law, indicating it is "easy
to prosecute if you don't follow the rule of law." For
example, she noted that she had discovered after taking
office that former Bauchi State Governor Adamu Muazu, on whom
the EFCC built a case under Ribadu, had never even been
invited for questioning.


4. (C) Charge raised USG concerns regarding redeployment of
large numbers of EFCC staff, some of whom were trained by the
USG and had closely collaborated on USG investigations.
Waziri told Charge that only 12 of the redeployed officers
(Ref. C) were investigative staff and that the remaining 100
plus were from four squadrons that provided security to the
EFCC building and personnel. She told Charge that she had
even decided to keep some disloyal employees because of their
high level of expertise. She offered to provide a list of
all those redeployed, the positions in which they had served,
and who among them had received training. Waziri lamented
the difficulty of being a third world country, maintaining
that world powers interfere in personnel changes in third
world countries but that no one would imagine interfering in
USG or UK personnel appointments. Charge stressed that the
USG concerns are for the EFCC as an institution and its
capacity to do its job effectively, as well as the
implication that had on the GON's commitment to fight
corruption.


5. (C) Charge made a pointed comment that the USG is
concerned that certain known corrupt former officials
maintain a high level of influence in the GON. Waziri
started twice to say, "I'm not aware..."; however, she then
changed the direction of her comment and noted that despite
statements more than two years ago that charges were going to
be brought against a large group of corrupt former governors,
there are still no prosecutions. She said she is pushing to
bring new cases to court. Regarding those already in court,
she lamented that the former governors are still free to
enjoy the spoils of their corruption while the cases drag on.
Waziri pointed to draft legislation presented to the House
Committee on Financial Crimes which would allow for
forfeiture of property obtained through corruption for even
sitting government officials. Waziri told Charge she should
make her points about the Administration as a whole, beyond
the EFCC, to the President.


6. (C) In response to demarche point that we do not believe
high level meetings in the U.S. would be constructive or
useful until the EFCC can take positive steps to rebuild its
reputation, Waziri told Charge she will not travel to the
U.S. in September, indicating she may travel to France
instead.


7. (C) Comment. Waziri seemed genuinely concerned by the
demarche points and reiterated several times that her
commitment is to a strong EFCC. We made clear that the
burden is on her to demonstrate both her intentions and her
ability to make progress against corruption. We will be
watching Waziri's actions in the coming months. End Comment.
PIASCIK