The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) has raised serious concerns regarding the negative effects of inter-agency rivalry on Nigeria’s fight against insecurity. Consequently, urged the Federal Government to address this issue promptly in order to foster synergy and success in combating insecurity. During a recent television program in Lagos, HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, highlighted the challenges experienced during the previous administration. He pointed out that insufficient control over institutions, individuals, and government agencies resulted in recklessness among appointed officials and elected representatives. However, Suraju expressed optimism about the current government, especially with the appointment of National Security Advisor (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who possesses commendable character and credentials. Suraju believes that this appointment can lead to improved coordination among law enforcement agencies, anti-corruption bodies, and security agencies. Emphasizing the need for accountability and responsibility, Suraju advocated for imposing penalties on individuals involved in any wrongdoing. He cited a recent incident involving the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Correctional Services (NCS) in the case of the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele. Suraju criticized the uncivil and condemnable actions of the DSS, which he deemed detrimental to the accountability process. Suraju further explained that accountability often diminishes when high-profile individuals are involved, citing the case involving Senator Stella Oduah that took years for arraignment to reach the court, only for the judge to give an order outside his jurisdiction. He attributed the delays in prosecution to conflicts and rivalries among agencies striving to achieve their respective goals. He urged the National Security Adviser and the President to address such conflicts and stress the importance of adhering to appropriate procedures in a civilian regime. The HEDA Chairman stressed the significance of allowing government institutions to function without external interference and called for the judiciary’s understanding of the challenges faced in prosecuting high-profile individuals. He warned that undermining the administration of criminal justice would exacerbate insecurity in the country. Expressing his concerns, Suraju pointed out that high-profile suspects often escape accountability through legal loopholes, such as the bail process and frustrating prosecution efforts. He called on all stakeholders, including lawyers, to prioritize the nation’s well-being and not merely seek the release of suspects without following due process. This interview shed light on the crucial issue of inter-agency rivalry and its detrimental impact on Nigeria’s fight against insecurity. It underscores the urgent need for measures to enhance cooperation among security and law enforcement agencies, ultimately fostering a safer and more accountable society.

Foremost Anti-corrupt group, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on its appeal of the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja judicial division. The Court discharged former Governor of Jigawa State, Alh. Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha Lamido, of corruption and money laundering charges on the grounds that the prosecution had filed the charge at the wrong judicial division of the Federal High Court. Earlier, the EFCC had charged the former Governor and his two sons with money laundering offenses at the Abuja judicial division. After presenting six witnesses, the anti-graft agency closed its case, and the defendants subsequently filed a no-case submission. However, Justice Ojukwu of the Federal High Court dismissed the no-case submission, ruling that the defendants had a case to answer. Dissatisfied with the ruling, the defendants decided to appeal to the Court of Appeal. A panel of three jurists, led by Hon. Justice Adamu Waziri, reviewed the case and concluded that the money laundering charge should have been filed in Jigawa State, where the alleged offenses were committed. Based on this finding, the Court of Appeal discharged the defendants. In response to the judgment, HEDA Resource Centre’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, expressed concerns, citing a precedent set by the Supreme Court in the case of Dele Belgore. In the Belgore case, the Supreme Court also overturned a no-case submission ruling by the Federal High Court. However, unlike the Lamido case, the Supreme Court ordered the case to be re-filed and prosecuted in the appropriate judicial division, which was Kwara State. Suraju also highlighted another relevant case, that of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu & Ors, wherein the Supreme Court overturned the judgment of the Federal High Court due to jurisdictional issues. In that case, the Supreme Court ordered a re-trial of the defendants, instead of discharging them. He stressed that an appellant whose appeal is based on an application or an interlocutory appeal, and not on the final judgment of the trial court, should not be discharged by the appellate court. Such discharges could set a wrong precedent, suggesting that technical errors may lead to acquittal. Suraju therefore called on the EFCC, as the prosecutor, to pursue further appeal at the Supreme Court. He emphasized that Nigerians cannot afford a precedent that fails to ensure consequences for money laundering, corruption, and misappropriation of public funds. The EFCC’s response and the potential implications of further appeal will be closely watched, as the case involves high-profile individuals and raises important questions about the judicial process surrounding corruption cases in Nigeria.

A coalition of five civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria has demanded unwavering professionalism and integrity from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in the alleged investigation of the Chairman of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), Muhyi Rimingado. Development Diaries reports that the EFCC and the CCB are probing the period Rimingado served under former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje. Rimingado, it is understood, is probing Ganduje, now the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for alleged corruption over a viral video showing the ex-governor allegedly receiving bribe in dollars from a contractor. In a statement to Development Diaries, the coalition made up of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), and Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative (PRADIN) demanded that the agencies carry out their duties with unwavering professionalism and integrity, free from any form of political interference. ‘The coalition expresses concern as the probe is coming on the heels of the PCACC’s enquiry into the alleged financial misconduct of the previous administration led by Abdullahi Ganduje, who currently serves as the National Chairman of the ruling party, the All-Progressives Congress (APC)’, it read. The coalition also called on the PCACC, the EFCC, and the CCB to foster a spirit of collaboration in their individual anti-corruption pursuits.