Revealed: Why EFCC Is After Oronsaye
BEVERLY HILLS, July 13, (THEWILL) – Though temporary relief came Monday for former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja over his alleged involvement in a N1.2 billion scam while serving as Head of the Civil Service, indications have emerged that Oronsaye, who is currently on bail till July 21, when his bail application would be heard, may, after all, be undergoing persecution for stepping on some powerful toes.
Oronsaye through his counsel, Mr. Kanu Agabi (SAN) has asked Justice Gabriel Kolawole for a speedy trial of the suit.
Though the truth remains that having worked closely with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a man many love to loathe, Oronsaye does not enjoy the goodwill of majority.
Despite this, many still find it curious why the EFCC is particular about Oronsaye despite the fact that he exposed fraud in pension administration at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation that had existed long before he assumed office in June 2009?
Though Oronsaye succeeded in checking the spate of fraud by inviting the EFCC and other agencies, he did not succeed in eradicating the menace.
However, the EFCC has decided not to investigate those before Oronsaye and those after him as his case fits into the truism that when you fight corruption, it fights you back.
According to an impeccable source, Oronsaye “crossed the line” with the EFCC in 2012, when the Committee on Rationalisation of Federal Government Agencies which he chaired recommended the merger of the EFCC with other related agencies.
“Furthermore, he, as chairman of the Presidential Committee on FATF, has been leading the campaign for the establishment of a legal framework for the NFIU, which will give the body the legal authority to carry out its responsibilities as an independent and autonomous national centre for the receipt, analysis and dissemination of financial intelligence to law enforcement and anti corruption agencies in Nigeria,” the source who craved anonymity added.
Why many are still surprised at the unfolding melodrama, it is curious to note that Oronsaye, who championed the passage of the Proceeds of Crime Bill (2014), POCA Bill and the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill (2014) would be going through all this.
But our source said Oronsaye may have incurred the wrath of the anti-graft body as these two Bills, championed by him, in the estimation of the EFCC, will render the agency unnecessary.
The question on the lips of close observers of the development is: Why is the EFCC always coming up with such trumped-up allegations when indeed the man gave them information with which they arrested the former Director of Pension, Dr. Shaibu Teidi and Mrs. Phina Chidi? Even as they wondered how was Mrs. Chidi was able to escape under EFCC custody?
Sources within the EFCC actually disclosed that the EFCC boss had attempted to strike a deal with Teidi to help “nail” Oronsaye by “confessing” that he gave the man money as claimed by Chidi, but Teidi reportedly maintained that his conscience would not let him “nail” an innocent man.
Although the case had been closed and Oronsaye cleared of any link to the fraud, the case was revisited all of a sudden because, according to EFCC, a witness had made “additional” statements.
It was also gathered that the EFCC also attempted to coerce one Ann Igwe, the former secretary of the former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team,
Abdulrasheed Maina, to “confess” that she gave Oronsaye money. Again, the woman, according to our sources, claimed she had never had a meeting with Oronsaye nor did she give him any money.
Why many are still wondering why the EFCC is trying to force “confessions” out of people just to “nail” the former bureaucrat, what is not known to them is the fact that Maina is a bosom friend and ally of Ibrahim Lamorde, who, we learnt, got funds from him while he held sway as Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team.
It was also alleged that the EFCC is using the current Director of the NFIU, Francis Usani, to peddle unsubstantiated allegations against Oronsaye as a person.
“After failing to succeed with Norman Sixth Wokoma and Juliet Ibekaku, Usani's immediate past predecessors in office, the EFCC has found in Usani, a willing tool to do a yeoman's job. When Wokoma refused to “play ball,” the EFCC leadership got him out.
“Ibekaku was roughly removed from office when she let them know she knew so much about the seized assets from the likes of disgraced former IGP Tafa Balogun and the likes, which Lamorde and some of his ilks have already shared among themselves,” it was further alleged.