Exposed: How An Ex-Minister Is Waging Media War Against Magu-led EFCC

By Emeka E. Clinton

Since the ongoing war against corruption began, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have witnessed several onslaughts from powerful forces who were hitherto the major beneficiaries of the corrupt system in the country.

This onslaught have manifested itself in varrious forms, but the most disturbing one is the current sponsored fake news report against one of it’s senior staff, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu Madaki claiming that he purchased houses in Abuja as well as 474 hectares of land in Nasarawa State.

The sponsor of the report who is an un-named agent of a former Minister currently standing trial over series of corruption related offences in the court resorted to this cheap blackmail in a desperate move to save his associate from further probes.

For example, the fake news report claimed that Alhaji Madaki acquired a N450 million worth of house in Wuse 2 and another N200 million worth of house for his lady friend in Wuse Zone 4, but the writer of the fake news delibrately refused to state the exact address of the house in Wuse 2 as well as the seller of the house; how payment was made, which bank executed the transaction, colour and picture of the house in question among other details that would aid proper investigation.

Second, the fake news report claimed that Alhaji Madaki bought a house worth N200 million for his lady friend, but also refused to include the name of the lady, the address of the house, mode of payment and the bank that executed the deal.

According to a source familiar with the case, he said ”The allegations against Alhaji Madaki of the EFCC is an example of corruption fighting back.”

The latest plan against Alhaji Madaki was orchestrated by an agent of a former Minister facing corruption charges in the court.

This Minister allocated series of lands in Abuja to someone and these properties are being screened and investigated for forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

”Instead of allowing justice to run it’s full course, the former Minister’s agent now concorted this plan to tarnish the image of Alhaji Madaki. A man who does not have up to N30,000 in all his accounts.

Let them provide the address of the houses in Wuse 2 and Zone 4.

Let them present the name of the lady the house was bought for and let them provide the person who sold the houses to Madaki.”

Similarly, the blackmailling news report also claimed that Alhaji Madaki acquired lands in Nasarawa State totaling 474 hectares and worth over N10 billion.

But, according to investigation carried out by this reporter, Alhaji Madaki is a native of Nasarawa State and hails from a family with vast hectares of land.

For the family not to fall prey to the operations of the Land Use Act of Nigeria which entrusted all lands in to the hands of the government, a decision was taken by the entire family to secure their entire inheritance by surveying it for proper documentation since development was fast approaching the community.”

After surveying these properties, instead of issuing the certificates in the name of the family, this un-named agent of the Minister mischievously wrote the name of Alhaji Abubakar A. Madaki as the owner of the family’s inheritance.

A source who does not want his name in print however said ”Alhaji Madaki is a fine officer who has shown exemplary conduct in service and in the ongoing fight against corruption.”

‘How were the lands in Nasarawa State purchased? How did Madaki pay for the lands? This is an attempt not just to rubbish the reputation of Madaki but the reputation of the entire EFCC. We should be mindful of such falsehood and Nigerians are not dumbs.”

He ended by saying ”We think and we want a country where people like the former Minister under trial and his cohorts are made to pay for their corrupt acts against our country. God bless Nigeria!”

 
Mr. Emeka E. Clinton writes from Nasarawa