By Attah Momoh
The phrase “prevention is better than cure” encapsulates a powerful principle in life in general. It emphasizes that it is often easier, cheaper, and more effective to stop a problem from happening in the first place rather than trying to fix it after it occurs. This concept applies to a wide range of areas, from personal well-being to societal issues.
Speaking of societal issues, talking about prevention in the context of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) versus former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello is not one sided. This advice of prevention as far as this drama concerned, is for Bello, the EFCC and the Nigerian people.
A few questions: how do we collectively prevent this kind of embarrassing behaviour from happening again?
How do we prevent a sitting governor from having overbearing influence even outside his state, as we have seen the Kogi State governor, Usman Ododo do since the onset? After this sad episode, new laws should be fashioned to prevent such insanity from occurring again.
The EFCC itself, was created for the sole aim of fighting corruption. Anti-graft to be precise. We already had the Nigeria Police Force, but the fact that their jurisdiction cut across all forms of crimes, made the duty overwhelming. A special agency had to be established, especially for the bigwigs. We all accepted and applauded the creation of the EFCC for that purpose. Now we need to support them to the latter and give them the confidence to go after anybody, as no one is above the law.
In America where we copied our democracy and system from, no one is above the law. Even if there are ‘’scared cows,’’ they never rub it in the faces of the people. They try as much as possible to give the people the impression that everyone is equal before the law.
Take Donald Trump for instance. Despite the fact that he is a former president of the United States, he was prosecuted without him evading arrest. There was no Yahaya Bello moment despite how stubborn we all know Trump to be. In 2023, four criminal indictments were filed against Trump for alleged crimes he committed from 2017 to 2021. Two indictments are on state charges (one in New York and one in Georgia) and two indictments (as well as one superseding indictment) are on federal charges (one in Florida and one in the District of Columbia).
The New York trial began on April 15, 2024 and concluded on May 30, 2024 with Trump’s conviction on all 34 charges. Sentencing is scheduled for November.
In August 2022, Trump’s Florida home was raided by the FBI as part of investigations. The secret service agents attached to the former US president did not go and stop the raid. No current public official gave him cover like Ododo is doing for Bello.
Trump isn’t alone. Another instance is Bill Clinton. After an inquiry between October and December 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice. It was the second impeachment trial of a U.S. president, preceded by that of Andrew Johnson.
In 2021, the New York City governor, Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation over a barrage of sexual harassment allegations. His younger brother Chris Cuomo who was working with CNN at the time didn’t defend his brother and couldn’t attack him. He chose to resign instead.
There should be measures put in place that would stop a sitting governor from going out of his way to prevent the arrest of a former governor like Ododo is doing. That is the height of abuse of power.
We wouldn’t be talking about this in the first place if the laws are being implemented properly. When you go through our constitution, you will realize there are many laws that if followed, there are a lot of things that wouldn’t be happening.
Going forward, there must be tougher measures to prevent the looting of public funds. Preventing politicians from stealing public funds or engaging in corrupt practices is a complex challenge, but there are several effective strategies that can be implemented to minimize such behaviour. A combination of legal reforms, institutional mechanisms, societal accountability, and cultural shifts is required.
Having robust anti-corruption laws and implementation of such laws with the support of the executive arm of government and Nigerians in general, is the foundation of preventing theft by politicians. Laws must clearly define what constitutes corruption, conflict of interest, and mismanagement of public resources. However, like I mentioned above, it is worth re-emphasizing that the mere presence of laws isn’t enough—strict enforcement is key. An independent judiciary and anti-corruption bodies, like the EFCC, must be empowered to investigate and prosecute corrupt politicians without political interference. Severe penalties for corrupt practices will deter potential offenders.
Another key factor is assets declaration. Not all politicians take this seriously and this gives room for corrupt practices. Mandating politicians to declare their assets before and after their terms of office is a powerful tool to prevent corruption. This allows the public and anti-corruption agencies to track unusual changes in wealth and investigate potential financial misconduct. Making these asset declarations public and subjecting them to independent verification enhances transparency.
That brings me to another point: whistle-blowing. I remember when this policy was launched in 2016 by the Federal Government and facilitated through the Federal Ministry of Finance under President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerians were enthusiastic about it due to the man at the helm of affairs. It was like a fresh of breathe air. All of a sudden, it became like a toothless bulldog policy. It should be taken seriously.
Encouraging whistle-blowing is another powerful prevention tool. The EFCC should enhance mechanisms that protect and reward individuals who report corrupt practices, financial fraud, or any suspicious financial activity. Anonymity, safety, and incentives for whistle-blowers will foster a culture where more people are willing to come forward, helping to expose crimes before they are carried out or escalate. All hands must be on deck because the EFCC can’t do it alone. This is why they must continue to seek the support of the people.
Many financial crimes involve public officials who abuse their positions. The EFCC can work with other bodies to establish integrity checks and accountability systems for public officeholders. Pre-appointment screening, lifestyle audits, and periodic financial disclosures can deter officials from engaging in corrupt practices. If public officers know that they are being monitored, it creates a deterrent to committing financial crimes.
Unfortunately, we only pay lip service to a lot of things in Nigeria. Actions should be louder than words. If all of the measures stated above are rejigged and properly implemented, no one will dare emulate Yahaya Bello in the future by making mockery of the EFCC.
