I was attacked for recovering looted billions of dollars, says ex-EFCC chair, Waziri

Farida Waziri, former chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says she has made enormous contributions to the fight against corruption.

Waziri, who said President Muhammadu Buhari is poised “to end oil-money induced corruption in our land”, recalled her days as head of the anti-graft agency, saying she was subjected to blackmail in the course of discharging her duty.

According to Ade Williams, her spokesman, the anti-corruption czar made the statement at the Benue State University, Makurdi, during the inauguration of a World Bank project.

The university was chosen by the World Bank as one of the centres for its 10 Africa centre of excellence project.

“I have made my contributions in the fight to discourage that and even recovered some of the looted funds in billions of dollars,” she said.

“For daring to do that, I came under fierce attacks, slander, blackmail and threats but by God’s grace and long years of experience, I survived all. I am glad today that indeed, there is a new sheriff in town

“No doubt, our over-dependence on oil revenue has brought us to the point where we are as a nation today. As an anti-corruption czar, I have seen how some of those the nation entrusted with its oil resources in the past helped themselves more than the country.

“With our focus on agriculture, the struggle by political office holders to steal oil fund would diminish while the national wealth will be in the hands of the people instead of a privileged greedy few. We cannot all dig oil wells in our backyard but we can all farm in our backyards. It is time to end oil-money induced corruption in our land by buying into President Buhari’s vision and take ownership.”

Waziri disagreed with those criticising Buhari over his choice of ministers, saying apart from the fact that they are well-experienced, no one had been able “to fault their integrity”.

“This is where I disagree with those who have been condemning President Buhari’s choice of ministers. No one has been able to fault the integrity and experience of the nominees,” she told journalists at an interactive session after the programme.

“The fact that they are ex-this, ex-that means they are exposed and experienced professionals in their own right even though most are politicians.

“Experience can’t be bought in shopping malls or super markets. Our prayers at this point should be that the Ministers would live up to their brilliant performances during their screening at the Senate by hitting the ground running to justify the confidence reposed in them by Mr President.”