Mrs. Waziri Passports Bail Bond signed in her handwriting
An investigation by Saharareporters has revealed that Mrs. Farida Waziri lied to the Senate during her confirmation hearing.
Mrs. Waziri Passports Bail Bond signed in her handwriting
An investigation by Saharareporters has revealed that Mrs. Farida Waziri lied to the Senate during her confirmation hearing.
Mrs. Waziri, whose nomination to chair the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been mired in controversy, was quizzed in a carefully controlled question and answer session. A reliable source at the Presidency disclosed to Saharareporters that the senators had been bribed to smoothen Mrs. Waziri’s confirmation process. One of the softball questions lobbed at Mrs. Waziri was whether she ever stood surety for George Akume, the immediate past governor of her home state of Benue. She flatly denied it.
However, Saharareporters is now in possession of the document signed by Mrs. Waziri to procure the EFCC’s release of passports belonging to Mr. Akume.
The document, dated November 8 2007, was signed in Mrs. Waziri’s handwriting. She signed as “Chief (Mrs) Farida M. Waziri, AIG-rtd”. Mrs. Waziri was an Assistant Inspector General of the Nigerian police, a position she held until her retirement in 1999/2000 after 35 years in law enforcement.
In an intriguing twist to Mrs. Waziri’s lie, Mr. Akume, who is now a senator, admitted through his media assistant, Mrs. Beckie Orpin, that Mrs. Waziri did in fact stand surety to secure the release of the former governor's passport.
“He was invited like many other governors in June 2007, but when it came to the issue of surety, my boss (Akume), brought Terngu Tsegba so that at anytime he is required, the person will produce him.
“On the issue of Mrs. Waziri, it was the EFCC operatives themselves who asked him to invite her to collect his seized passport on his behalf. I can't remember the date, but his passport was seized alongside other governors. I think twenty of them.
“But when he was to travel to Tunisia and Morocco on official trip, it required the passport, so he sent for it.” The press release further stated that Mrs. Waziri and former Senator Waku worked together to retrieve the passport from the EFCC office.
Mr. Akume's spokesperson was silent on the capacity in which Mrs. Waziri stood “surety” for Akume's passport. However, Saharareporters has learnt that Mrs. Waziri made millions of naira helping corrupt former governors and “419” kingpins to stave off arrest or prosecution. She used a shadowy law office based in Abuja to collect the fees.
Saharareporters was first to report that Mrs. Waziri had lobbied the EFCC on behalf of several corrupt former governors to suppress corruption investigations as well as prosecution. Our sources indicate that she also acted on behalf of Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State. We have also received reliable information that she is very close to Fred Ajudua, the notorious “advance fee”—or 419—fraudster.
Photocopy of George Akume's Passport "bailed" by Chief (Mrs.) Farida Waziri
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