Disquiet at NIMASA over ‘EFCC witch-hunt’

Aggrieved staff of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have accused Haruna Jauro, the acting director-general, of using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to witch-hunt those he considers to be his rivals for the headship of the agency.

The staff, who are hiding their identities out of fear of reprisal, accused Jauro of involvement in several shady deals and vowed to release the details to the media.

After the dismissal of Ziakedi Akpobolokemi by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 16, Jauro was appointed to lead the agency in acting capacity, taking over from another acting DG, Calistus Nwabueze Obi, who held the fort for only four days.

In a petition seen by TheCable, the staff called on the federal government to investigate several allegations against Jauro.

“We commend the President, Muhammadu Buhari on his drive to rid Nigeria of corrupt practices. At our level, we are committed to compliment this genuine effort by blowing the whistle wherever and whenever we get information about corrupt practices and anything or anybody who will be a clog in the wheel of President Muhammadu Buhari’s patriotic anti corruption fight,” the petition read.

“The Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and indeed Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro, Ag DG of NIMASA’s situation is a test case in the corruption fight; we expect Mr. President to demonstrate that Mr. Jauro is not a sacred cow, by requesting the EFCC to question him in on expensive property acquisitions, owning foreign account etc.

“We are saying this because of the many questions that require urgent answers. We are nonplused that all the junior officers who worked under Mr. Jauro had been arrested and questioned by EFFCC, whereas, Mr. Jauro who has the approving and signing power under which no payment would have gone through, has not been questioned.”

Commenting on the current situation in the agency, a source claimed that the EFCC has arrested many people in the organisation since Jauro came on board.

“It is now a daily occurrence for directors to be picked up as they resume work by EFCC with himself (Jauro) sending names directly to them (EFCC), in an attempt to taint them with the tag of suspects,” the source said.

“All the executive directors and most directors have been visiting the EFCC on regular basis for questioning while some staff are being held in detention, yet Haruna Baba Jauro who was executive director of finance and administration in the last regime, and was signatory in the financial dealings, has not been invited for once.”

Lami Tumaka, spokesperson of NIMASA, has dismissed the allegations.

“We are both institutions of the federal government and cannot use one against the other, please,” she said in response to an SMS from TheCable.