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Those who mask crimes never have peace. The Maitama-Abuja home of Senator Rochas Okorocha was recently invaded by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), an anti-graft Body set up by the federal government of Nigeria to haunt down suspected corrupt officials, and recover the proceeds of their corruption back into the national treasury. Definitely, Senator Okorocha was neither the first person, nor would he be the last to be caught in the web of the dreaded anti-graft Body. But the Senator made his own case a spectacular one as he made a show of shame of it all.
Reports indicated that the respected Senator had twice been officially invited by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja in a case assigned to Honourable Justice Inyang Ekwo. He was to answer a case of corruption levelled against him by the EFCC. The anti-graft Body on January 24, 2022 slammed a 17-count charge on him bordering on diversion of public funds and properties to the tune of N2.9 Billion. Instead of the accused to honour the summons, he downplayed it and continued to live in his peaceful life in his Abuja home. Unfortunately, his living in Abuja was like the cockroaches in the midst of fowls. While he thought that the self-imposed immunity subsists, he soon realized that it would be punctured by the axes, shovels, rakes, and even gun shots if his hunters. Yes. His Abuja home was invaded and burrowed through at the most critical time in Okocha’s life when his own political permutations must have spiraled him into the presidency, though by his sheer imagination. The EFCC struck when the iron was hottest. Senator Rochas Okorocha, a presidential aspirant under the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress was holed up; and like a rabbit smoked out of his hiding place, dazed, bewildered. He will still be screened as he had anticipated for his political ambition; but this time around it will be a different screening and grilling in the EFCC custody, not as a presidential aspirant but as an accused who had syphoned the public funds into his private pocket. This screening, drilling and grilling will be held at the EFCC office and then chauffeured to the Courts to give reasons why he has been on the run, and defend his accusations of stealing public funds.
While the EFCC, like earthworms burrowed a sizeable hole into the house of the Senator to drag him out like a defiant rogue, we could see Rochas sprawling on the floor of his beautiful house praying. He and the other occupants of the building began to jump, prattle and rant all about the house like a tadpole flung on the bare floor. One would wonder why the respected Senator refused to submit himself to the EFCC. Was there anything he was hiding? Was he so terrified to go with the anti-graft Body just as a child is terrified at the sight of a masquerade? He was calling on Jesus Christ to save him, as if Jesus sent him on an errand and was later abandoned. Okorocha is a great man. Whatever issues he had with the EFCC could have been amicably resolved without unnecessarily subjecting himself to these avoidable embarrassments. The Senator cannot claim ignorance that breaching any law comes with the attendant consequences. He would have saved himself from this shame. By implications of his actions, he has adjudged himself guilty as alleged. He would not only be charged for jumping administrative bail earlier granted to him, but he will also be charged for resisting arrest, and contempt of the Court after refusing to honour summons. The popular saying that a clear conscience fears no accusation has been defied by the Senator’s action. He embarked on the dance of the tadpole in his very own house. This is a shame.
Despite this shameful outing, he still had the effrontery to accuse the EFCC of not coming with an arrest warrant. Does Rochas not know how these anti-graft Bodies operate? Is there anywhere illegality is punished in Nigeria? I know sooner than later he will be looking for how to enforce his fundamental human rights through his lawyers; of course, that would be a secondary issue to Nigerians. He has been accused of diverting the sum of N2.9 Billion public funds. All he needs do now is to clarify himself on that first. If it was the DSS that came for him, rest assured that his head would have been broken by now with his nose bleeding. It was an act of immaturity to have ignored the Court summons. Rochas called for the lizards in the ants-infested wood he brought home.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should not stop this manhunt of corrupt officials at Senator Rochas case alone. It is very certain that he is not only the one in this game of stealing public funds. Others too should be hunted down and made to give accounts of their stewardship. The EFCC should be interested in the result of the screening of our politicians vying for different political offices in our current dispensation, especially now that the entire nation is engulfed in national politicking as a build-up to the 2023 general elections. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) should also be alive to their responsibilities.
With the continual recovery of the looted Abacha funds, that of the trending Accountants-General of the Federation, the funds allegedly stolen by General Jeremiah T. Useni (Rtd) and so many others, our refineries could be fixed and many capital projects could be embarked upon thereby generating employment for the teeming unemployed youths. This will by extension curb the social menace of armed robbery, banditry, kidnappings, ritual murders, internet frauds, insurgency, etc. Nigeria will be better for all to live, and peacefully at that.
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