Corruption: Can Buhari bite the finger that fed him? – Former CBN Governor

As President Muhammadu Buhari finally resurrects the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFFC, to clamp down on fraudulent individuals, the question about if he would prosecute his friends and associates continue to compromise the sincerity of his anti-corruption campaign.

Buhari has already initiated plans to investigate Ministers and appointees of his predecessor as well as the Nigerian civil service. He has publicly claimed he has no intentions of sparing any sacred cows even if found in his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. This was revealed during an interview on CNN where he reaffirmed total commitment in to making his anti-corruption campaign all inclusive.

“It is not the issue of party members. If you have stolen, no party member can escape justice,”
Reacting to this, a former Deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Obadiah Mailafia during an Interview aired on AIT’s “Money Show” insisted that Buhari cannot bite the fingers that fed him, adding that Buhari’s corruption fight can never be targeted at those who financed his campaigns during the election.


“Some of the people fingered in corruption come from the states that supported him during the election and even finance his campaign, I don’t expect him to wake up one day and start chasing them.”
“In the African culture, you don’t bite the finger that gave you milk, you cannot do it. You have to find the most civilized way of handling such cases”

“Your mother is giving you breast milk as a baby and then you bite her, that is not African.”

Buhari who rode on his anti-corruption vanguard to get into office has been advised to eschew selective persecution and political witch-hunting.

This is coming after reports of alleged systematic plunder of public funds already coming from the Presidency. Many have advocated for an all inclusive probe in order for his anti-corruption stance not to be used for political gains.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has also cautioned the President to probe every corrupt politician and to abstain from selective prosecution. PDP Spokesman, Olisa Metuh, made the call at a congress in Lokoja, Kogi State, where he expressed doubt at the current spate of arrest by the EFCC which has only been targeted on opposition members.

“We expect the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government not to embark on selective probing of public office holders found wanting before or during his government.”

The EFCC has laid siege on former PDP governors such as Sule Lamido; Former Jigawa Governor, Ikedi Ohakim; former Imo Governor as well as appointees of former President Jonathan, including Kingsley Kuku; former adviser to the President on the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme.

Added to this, the Department of State Secret services, SSS, detained the Chief Security Adviser, to Jonathan, Gordon Obua and also invaded the residence of his National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki.

This thread of events has lent credence to plans by the Buhari administration to hunt their perceived enemies.

In reaction to these developments, Mailafia cautioned the President to avoid witch-hunting his perceived enemies saying charity begins at home, hence he should start his anti-corruption campaign from his party members and also ensure that the stolen funds are returned into the coffers of the Federal Government.

“I completely agree with you that charity must begin at home, but it should not end there.
“The money they are stealing, nobody would benefit from it, it’s only them and their families that would benefit, let Buhari get them to return the money.”