How EFCC Boss Farida Waziri Intimidates Suspects And Passes Judgement At Night
7 min read
What you are about to read look like thriller but its real and it
happened in Farida Waziri’s EFCC where she presides and run the place like her business empire.One of the inmates
recently detailed how gold loving Waziri visited the EFCC office at the dead of
the night to harass inmates and threatened them to confess. Excerpts
I make this incident report on behalf and at the request of
all the current inmates of the EFCC detention facility at the Okotie Eboh Street,
Ikoyi, Lagos. I
do so fully aware of the dangers and consequences of disclosing or pointing out
any of the ugly truth about the EFCC. Yet, I am certain that this report is
proper under Nigerian Law and Constitution. Around midnight on Friday, Nov. 11,
2011, as the inmates of this cell were sleeping, the EFCC guards on duty rushed
into the cell block ordering and urging all the inmates to get up and step out
because the chairman of the EFCC wanted to see all of us. We quickly got out
our cells, scrambling to put on some clothes. There was much confusion as most
of the inmates waking from sleep tried to figure out what was going on. But
within minutes, we all lined up in the hall way. The guards matched us out of
the cell into the yard separating the cell block and the offices of the
facility. There was no light in the yard, as there had been power outage all
evening. Flash lights were flying in all directions as some as some EFCC staff
and gun wielding policemen hurriedly
moved about in the yard and around the inmates.
As we stood in three columns in front of the cell building,
we could make out the figure of a lady in a Nigerian traditional dress sitted
on the walkway across the yard and making or taking calls on her cell phones.
Standing around her were some EFCC staff and two policemen. We figured that
must be the chairman of the EFCC. Otherwise, it was not possible to make out
the face of anybody in the darkness.
As the lady sat and faced in the direction of the inmates,
the cell guards, assisted by the other EFCC staff, made a roll call of the
inmates. We all answered as our names were called. After the general roll call,
they called out the names of those inmates who the names of those inmates who
were being detained pursuant to court orders. They were separated from the rest
of us. The guards were calling from the list in their hands illuminated poorly
with their lights.
At this point, the chairman of the EFCC stood from her
chair, which was about 12 feet from where the inmates stood. She began to
address the inmates by asking about those whose cases had been charged to
court. The first person she called upon was asked what he did. She probably
meant to ask what offence the person was changed with, or alleged to have
committed, if not yet charged with. The next person she called upon was Alhaji
Danjuma. She asked him what he did. Danjuma said he did not really do anything.
Indeed Danjuma’s story has been that he owed someone money and was making
arrangement to pay it back like in any contractual debt obligation. However,
his creditor reported him to the EFCC and he was arrested and has since been
abused by the EFCC staff. Consistent with his story, he responded to the
chairman of EFCC by saying that he had not committed any offence. But the
chairman looked at the paper against Danjuma’s name and accused him of lying.
She insisted that Danjuma committed an offence. She came to this position just
because the letters “OBT” were marked next to Danjuma’s name. This meant, of
course, only that those who arrested and detained Danjuma chose to accuse him of
that particular offence. Otherwise, the paper before the chairman made no
reference to evidence or circumstances of the case. The chairman was clearly
intimidating the man and she insisted that he was a liar. Danjuma had no choice
but to keep quiet.
The next person he chairman spoke to was Hamisu, Danjuma’s
cousin. His only offence was that he was that he was the messenger that was
sent to pick up an envelope from the creditor. Indeed the EFCC officers had
made it clear that they were detaining him for the sole purpose of pressuring
Danjuma to cooperate with them, whatever that meant. The chairman had no
patience to hear Hamisu. She stopped him in mid sentence and moved to the next
person who was a man that could not speak English. As someone tried to translate
for the man, the Chairman said it was taking too long. She stopped it.
Then the chairman called upon an inmate an inmate known as
Engineer Francis, a 60-year old man who has been held in detention without
being charged to court since August. His offense was that he had introduced a
man who wanted to borrow money, but lacked collateral, to another man who
provided collateral for a fee. Francis had no further involvement in the loan
process and Francis never expected or received even a dime from the
transaction. When the borrower could not pay back the loan, the creditor went to
EFCC, which decided to arrest Francis for introducing the men. The brief
exchange between the chairman and Francis was very revealing of how the mind of
the chairman works and her understanding of the law and attitude to law
enforcement.
When Francis summarized his case, the chairman cut in,
saying that he was guilty of the offence of introducing someone. The chairman
insisted it is an offense under Nigerian Law to introduce a borrower who
defaults on the loan. When Francis tried to explain to the Chairman that he did
not guarantee the loan and that he was not a party to the loan agreement and
was not even present when the loan agreement was signed, the chairman ridiculed
him, calling him a pocket lawyer and told him that was why he was so emaciated
and looked small in size. At that point, two of the EFCC staff in a bid to help
their chairman began to say that Francis was guilty of the offense of
conspiring to introduce somebody to somebody.
The chairman clearly had no patience to pursue any subject
at all. She turned and began to address the entire inmates. She said that we
were all guilty of whatever offence we were accused of. She urged us to confess
in order for us to receive mercy. She threatened that unless we confessed she
was going to send any of the inmates she pleased to Adeniyi Adele and Panti.
She said that in those places we would have to prepare our wills. The two
places she mentioned were two police detention cells known for extreme
brutality, torture and extra judicial killings. When she made this threat, the
EFCC staff around her laughed knowingly indicating their common awareness of
such extraordinary rendition. For anyone to be sent to any of those two places
is literally to be sent to a gas chamber. There was a grave silence among the
inmates on the mention of the Chairman’s plan for “non-cooperating inmates. The
silence and the terror were palpable in the eyes of the inmates.
After issuing the chilling threat, the chairman of EFCC
turned away indicating it was the end of the visit which lasted approximately
45 minutes. The end was so abrupt that everybody understood that the main
purpose of her visit was to send a message to someone that she capable of
extreme cruelty and causing a slow and painful death. I did get that message,
even though she clearly avoided calling on me.
The inmates were returned to the cell. They were all
horrified visibly worried and greatly agitated. All were disappointed at the
cold and tendecious and callous behavior of the EFCC chairman. Where is the
humanity? Where is the professionalism? Where is the common sense of it all?
All these seem to be questions in worried minds of the inmates. Many began to
pray about it.
Beside the collective feelings of the inmates, which I
shared in entirely, I understand that what happened tonight had very profound
personal meanings to me. EFCC’s leadership had just demonstrated to me that it
had no limit to depravity, cruelty and impunity. In view of the deep
disagreement between the EFCC and me and my continued criticism of their brutality
and massive abuses there is no doubt the leadership of EFCC has a death wish
for me. I was just reminded how easy it is for them to accomplish that wish.
In light of what happened tonight, it is clear to all
inmates of EFCC cell that they would not be allowed their due process rights
while in the custody of EFCC. Many of them have suffered greatly as EFCC
officials systematically trampled upon their rights and their fundamental
liberties. It is now clear that what they had thought were aberrations from
individual officers of the EFCC are actually the real operating procedure of
the commission. These inmates are now urgently looking to share their
predicament with the world. Tonight’s visit by the Chairman of the EFCC cell
leaves no one in doubt.
Well this report if it is true shows how uncivilised Nigeria as country is , without mincing words , owing somebody , burrowing money , or introducing someone to another person being it business , loans , should not be a crime under any civilised sociuety , but in Nigeria people used it to harasses fellow Nigerians , it should be a civil law not a crime to burrow money from another person or made an introduction , if either party renegade on their promise or agreement , the agrieved party should seek redress in a court of law which is called county court, but by reporting to the police to harass and humiliate depending on whom you know is really sad , then the police will collect their usual bribe , the judge will collect their bribe that is if the case comes to court , both parties will be paying to the police and the corrupt judges , and yet we have a dummy president called BDJ( bad luck JOnathan ) who has no clue on how to govern members of his immediate family not talk of rulling a nation, yet we are all busy pussyfutting that we voted for BDJ and not the PDP as if u can separate the head from the whole body
Justin I disagree most of our people once they collect money they do not want to pay back. they would rather bribe the police or judge so that the case can be postponed forever. They should pay those they are owing please. Most borrowers in Nigeria are criminals.
Ted, you are a bonafide moron who has no sense of logic. People like you should focus on learning rather than submitting to the impulse of posting your ignorance. Nigeria is in the predicament that it is in because of illiterates like you and Waziri. Your time will come soon, and you will know how it feels. You inhumane Basitaro!
Femi A. if you have nothing else to say than to insult someone, it shows that you are the real bonafide moron who has no sense of logic.
Is Nigeria a Country or a jungle? No Police, no justice! With bunch of mediocres contolling the affairs of Nigeria, there is no solutions in sight. If any of the inmates had stolen Milions, he will not even spend 24hrs in detention. God will destroy those destroying this ( Country?) EFCC is just a duplication of Police fraud unit with the same people with little or no respect for rule of law, harrassing poor people.
One wonders what the role of the Nigerian police is if the EFCC is remitted to process those whose offences berges on civil/inter-personal matters. It makes the position of the former untenable while the latter’s questionable. little wonder then the real focus and design of EFCC is a way too distant for any realistic and valid achievement to be recorded.
It is felt that the EFCC is primarily reponsible for processing political offenders who have persistently mismanaged and siphoned national revenues for their selfish ends.
Mrs. Farida Waziri could/should not portray herself herself as judge and jury and it beggars question that in her role, she attended the detention centre at midnight. This confuses the mind as to what she might be seeking at such unholy hour – not to mention the deprivation of sleep and denial of human dignity inflicted on the incarcerated persons.
It will be wrong if such action is deemed ‘intensive interrogation’ because such needs a breath of transparency and recordable procedure. A preclusion of guilt is unprofessional and uncalled for in this instance.
What Nigerians, and the international community wish to see is the processing of governors, ministers, bankers, etc; who have contributed to the loss of national revenue and other indictable financial offenses.
Well I will repply u with Yoruba language which says ( Atori laye, to ba fi siwaju atun fi seyin) even if it is true that most Nigerians are criminal , the point i was trying to make is EFFC is economic and crime commision which shoud deal with srimes within the government and any civil isues should be dealth with by another appropriate arms of government and besides isue of burrowers and lenders has nothiing to do with the Government , it should be a civil case, some people even use the police to harass inocent people
i want to sincerely agree with your position cos most times people used the constituted institution wrongly
Now, i see the reason why most nigerians abroad don’t want come back home..you live in a place called HOME, and you have no peace..No Lights, water, social housing is terrible, you detain powerless citizens and Rogue politicians are roaming the street. God help us!!!
As for Farida, if this is true, Life’s a Boomerang, it’s only a matter of time…
Farida Waziri will definitely end in prison like Lafiaji for all her atrocities and fraud. This former police woman is fake and a disgrace to law enforcement. She has forgotten that one day she will leave this job and come out to meet her persecutors. Time will tell
EFCC Stinks will bribery and corruption. This woman has amssed so much wealth and must be punished. She has become a weapon against the opposition in Nigeria, intimidating people with arrest and detention.
Messed up country,failed country
the so called EFCC is a corrupt organization that government use to unpressed those how are corrupt like them but not in support of there administration. kicking waziri out is not the solution, cos Nigeria needs a leader who is positive, constructive, dynamic, creative and effective P D P can’t produce such leadership, so who ever comes inn as the EFCC chairman will not produce any good result. if Goodluck love this country he should bring is godfathers out and heself. we as Nigeria don’t need a politician as a leader we need a statesmanship who as Vision to leader” not a politician who ‘ll come out to say i have no shoe, i never thought i’ll make it”’
Who wrote the piece?
Where is WAZIRI today? she has been kicked out!!! GOD is not sleeping!!!
Let the Nigerian government be aware that,the masses are suffering in pain…….things have fallen apart in this part of the world mere anarchy is loose upon the innocent citizen,what is the ordinary citizen of this country happy about?the good roads,electricity,water,good infrastructurehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmratter we wake up everyday to face police brutality what a mess in a land full of plenty now they are planning to make the masses suffer more by removing fuel subsidy………………one day the youth of this great nation will fight for a revolution……Libya is a clear warning,this one day a waiting to fight for my right…………………sooner
Sinner will not go unponish
My brother wonder shall never end in the our jungle country called NIGERIA let me tell you i had course to visit EFCC ENUGU office some time and you see how EFCC is handling land dispute, dispute between boy friend and her girl friend you see how fraud people are using EFCC to back up there crime because of little twist in the law. When we were thinking that they will assist to recoup our stollen wealth from greedy leaders reverse is the case. Let me tell you My GOD sit down in heaven watching everybody with their atrocities but will judge one day.
Nigerians bother GOD about every problem that befalls us,GOD cant be bothered with our problems when he had blessed us abundantly,no natural disaster and so much resource’s,the only way out in this type of country is just the polls,and nigerians still dont understand the power of their voters card,i want to believe we voted those who put farida waziri in that position,so next time lets vote wisely,nigeria is not a country where we need to revolt for anything as far as i am concerned except for the case of election rigging,its so unfortunate that we just sit at home and expect the country to fix itself,IF YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT THE COUNTRY AND YOU DONT WANT TO VOTE,NEXT TIME THE POLICY ANNOYS YOU JUST GO TO THE SHOWER AND COOL OFF.
firstly i think this is a fabricated story and i am not a subscriber. however looking back at the society we belong sometimes there can be a element of truth in this story. and if that is the case then it leaves us all to the fact that we all need to be ‘educated’ yes. there are so many people in corridors of power that are suppose to be in the cclassroom as student. YES. or can you explain a statement “what did you do?” that offcourse that is a wrong question to ask a suspect..
but whatever that is? whether true or fabricated story WAZIRI is gone. but another observation according to the wirter. all the ‘inmates’ have been wrongfully accused. i dont think so. so i say again ‘i dont buy this story”