WHAT appears a minor tremor is set to become a volcanic eruption with tsunamic consequences, between two security chiefs: the bosses of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), if the Federal Government does not take urgent measures to douse the tension.
Investigations can authoritatively reveal that the bone of contention between the Police boss Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo and the EFCC’s Mrs. Farida Waziri, is no other person than the National Coordinator of the Police Equipment Foundation (PEF), Chief Kenny Martins who was recently declared wanted by an Abuja High Court on charges bordering on corruption, forgery and diversion of funds meant for equipping the Nigerian Police.
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While it seems the EFCC is trying to tighten the loose ends on the case it has against Kenny Martins, following his discharge from the allegations of corrupt practices by a Magistrate Court in Abuja, by filing an appeal and getting a special fiat from the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Michael Andoakaa to prosecute Martins and his fellow accused, the police on the other hand are working cordially with the accused. They have even assigned nine mobile police escorts to him.
It was gathered that the fraternity that Martins enjoys in the hands of the Police is causing serious disaffection between Mrs. Waziri and Mr. Onovo.
Martins, in a recent interview with a national daily, The Guardian, claimed that he enjoys a cordial relationship with Onovo whom he said was in support of the Foundation even before he assumed the plum position of IGP.
“We have a man like Ogbonna Onovo as the Inspector General of Police and his management teams, who are all in along in support of the foundation, but by the constraints of their position then, they could not do much. We are already talking to them and having meetings at the Force Headquarters and informally,” Martins revealed in the interview.
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Informed sources revealed that the friendship between Onovo and Martins dates from his years as Commissioner of Police.
“On assuming office as the IGP, Onovo was already loyal and promised to help him in his travails as Martins had done him endless favours in the past. They met and perfected a plan on how the IGP will use his influence as the police boss to drop all the charges against Martins by the police as well as order for the release of all the PEF vehicles confiscated by the police and EFCC,” the source who craved anonymity alleged.
Onovo, it was alleged, in September 2009, wrote memos to Aondokaa requesting the withdrawal of all criminal charges against Martins and his accomplices pending in some federal courts, claiming that the charges had been hurriedly sent to court by his predecessor, Mr. Mike Okiro. He also claimed that the police lacked evidence to prosecute the cases.
In November 2009 in an Abuja Magistrate court, Judge Abubakar Talba discharged Kenny Martins and his associates. They got a reprieve as the court upheld the “no case” submission by Johnny Ucheaga, counsel to the accused persons, that none of the witnesses from the EFCC established ingredients of conspiracy, breach of trust and mis-appropriation as contained in the criminal charges against the accused persons.
That ruling sparked the feud that is now brewing between Onovo and Waziri.
It was gathered that following the victory in court of the EFCC through their counsel, Festus Keyamo over the former Chairman, Chief Bode George, who was accused of corrupt practices and abuse of office, the commission was congratulated and praised for its courage in prosecuting the perceived sacred cows. The AGF, Andoakaa, personally congratulated both Waziri and Keyamo for “removing shame from the face of this government” following the verdict of having fallen off over the last two years handed down to the agency by the United State’s Secretary of State, Mrs. Hilary Clinton, when she visited. While still basking in the euphoria of that much-needed enigma boost, the sudden discharge of Martins almost rubbished the tarnished image the EFCC was starting to launder.
Keyamo dragged the matter to an Abuja High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, presided over by Honorable Justice Mwada Balami. On December 11, 2009 the court issued a bench warrant of arrest to Martins, his deputy, Ibrahim Dumuje, Joni Icheka and Cosmas Okpara on charges of corruption, forgery and diversion of funds meant for the equipping of the Nigeria Police.
Martins responded by granting an interview to The Guardian eight days later, where he accused Waziri and Keyamo of blackmail after they had been vindicated and freed by the court. He went on to say that the EFCC had lost the basic case and was hopeful they will lose the appeal.
“Definitely they have lost the case and I am hopeful they will lose the appeal. I am surprised at Mrs. Farida Waziri’s interest and alliance with Festus Keyamo in this blackmail attempt. It was confirmed that the petition she sent to court was a fake one fabricated by Keyamo. The man that fabricated it told us about the planned assassination attempts on my life. Keyamo never believed he can lose a case, but he has lost this one,” Martins fumed during the interview.
The revealing interview propelled Keyamo to write a letter of caution to the IG, Onovo on the 22nd of December, 2009. The four-page letter entitled: “Your Alleged Alliance with multiple accused person, Kenny Martins,” was copied to the Presidency, the AGF, the Chairman, EFCC, the Ministry of Police Affairs, the SSS and the Deputy Inspector Generals of A,B, C,D,E and F Departments. Though the letter was restricted to the persons it was copied, National Daily got a copy of the letter from a police source.
In the letter, Keyamo informed Onovo that he was writing in respect of charges pending against one Chief Kenny Martins in charges No FHC/ABJ/CR/61/09, between FRN Vs Kenny Martins & others where Martins is standing trial in respect of criminal charges ensuing out of false presentation in the USA and Nigeria, of PEF as an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria which is still pending in a Federal High Court 2, Abuja with the case adjourned till 19th January 2010; Charge No: FCT/HC/13/CR/66/2008 between FRN vs Kenny Martins and three others which was initiated upon a petition written by the Sultan of Sokoto and upon which Kenny Martins and other accused were discharged but not acquitted and of which the EFCC has filed an appeal challenging the decision of the court which discharged the persons and charge No: FCT/HC/GWD/CR/68/09 between FRN Vs Kenny Martins and four others where they are standing trail for forgery of documents in order to defraud the Police Equipment Fund of which a bench warrant of arrest has been issued.
Keyamo went on to inform Onovo that in all cases against the accused, the said Kenny Martins along with others were alleged to have defrauded persons using the name of the police of which Onovo was the head.
“However, in the last few days, some stories have emerged in the media where the said accused person has publicly made certain claims about his romance with you as the number one policeman in the country,” Keyamo said in his letter.
He summarised the implications of Onovo’s fraternity as: holding meetings with a fugitive, declared wanted by a court of law when he should be in your custody as directed by the court. “In fact, the story is that you have provided him with enough mobile policemen to guide him when you have withdrawn thousands from lesser mortals,” Keyamo listed: That Onovo had all along been in support of the activities of those accused of and charged with defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians by using the name of the police; that he (Onovo) may not render assistance needed by the prosecuting team by releasing the Investigating Police Officer’s (IPO’s) and all documents necessary to prosecute the suspects to a logical conclusion.
Keyamo, in retrospect, recalled a meeting he had with the IGP and the six D.I.G’s shortly after Onovo was appointed the new police boss where he informed the police chiefs of the claim by Martins that Onovo owed him some loyalty because he influenced his appointment and the flat denial of the claim by the IG at the meeting.
“But, if these claims are true, it would appear there is a suspicion of truth in the earlier rumours I brought to your attention,” Keyamo wrote.
Keyamo finally informed Onovo that he was anxious to see him succeed as IGP and that no such matter like the accused person rubbish his career.
After Keyamo forwarded the letter to the IGP and the other security and government officials, it was learnt that the IGP was alleged to have contacted Martins on the new development and Martins swiftly went on a rampage. Without wasting time, Martins appeared on a Television talk-show after the Christmas celebration and lambasted both Mrs Waziri and Keyamo. Martins called both of them blackmailers, and vehemently accused the EFCC chairman of bribery and corruption in her handling of the sacked bank managing directors (MDs). He accused Waziri of collecting 10 per cent of the money recovered from bank debtors, threatening to bring out the evidences when the time is ripe. The Coalition for a Corrupt-Free Nigeria (CCN) learnt that his drama on television irked Waziri so much that she put a call through to the IG and both of them exchanged words, signaling that a real battle looms between the two law enforcement bosses.
Meanwhile, when CCN visited the Force Headquarters in Abuja, some police officers who craved anonymity confirmed that Martins had been visiting the IGP regularly in his office.
“Yes, we have been seeing Chief Kenny Martins coming to visit Oga,” one of the officers said.
Another senior police officer remarked in the corridor: “It is most embarrassing that a wanted fellow is hobnobbing with the IGP openly.”
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