A human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has called for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the financial dealings of cabinet members and appointees who served under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The former president’s tenure, which spanned from 2015 to 2023, has come under scrutiny following the trial of ex-Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
In a statement released on Friday, Olajengbesi highlighted the urgent need for such a probe, pointing to “startling revelations” that have emerged from Emefiele’s trial, notably the alleged forgery of signatures belonging to Buhari and the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
These allegations, part of a $6.2 million fraud case related to funding for foreign observers in the last elections, have raised serious concerns about the integrity of financial transactions conducted during Buhari’s presidency.
Olajengbesi praised the EFCC’s efforts in bringing to light these allegations and emphasized the importance of extending the investigation to cover all individuals who held positions of power during the eight-year period.
He argued that auditing the financial transactions of Buhari’s government officials is crucial to ensuring accountability and transparency within Nigeria’s public sector.
The lawyer’s call for an expanded probe comes at a time when the EFCC is intensifying its efforts to combat corruption and financial crimes within the country.
By investigating former cabinet members and government appointees, the EFCC would be taking a significant step towards dismantling corrupt practices and reinforcing the principles of good governance.
Olajengbesi said, “The audacity of those in power and their criminal influence is becoming too much and must be stopped.
“The EFCC must not stop at just the former CBN Governor Godwin, Emefiele, but should carry out an entire audit of principal actors who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. There should be a deterrent for bad behavior.
“Again, the case of the suspended Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salihijo over alleged N1.2bn fraud is fresh, and a pointer to the gross abuse of power by those who served under Buhari.
“Emefiele and all those who served under the Buhari adminis8⅞ÿÿtration should be properly audited and given a chance to clear their names as the corruption that manifested under that government is gargantuan.”