ME AND THE EFCC - I STILL REMEMBER

ME AND THE EFCC - I STILL REMEMBER 

Two years ago today, I was detained at the EFCC cell in Lagos, which was the second round of my detention. I was detained the first time because a Nigerian Ambassador in Washington promised to help Mrs. Farida Waziri, the then head of the EFCC improve her dwindling image in Washington. And he asked a favor of her - to detain me over a dispute between my law firm in Washington and the Embassy of Nigeria. They detained me in Abuja. 

I fought them from within their cells for 3 months. They disobeyed the court order that ordered for me to be set free. But after three months of such unlawful detention, they ran out of tricks. I was released. But I did not stop fighting them. They thought I would just go away. But they didn't know me well enough. 

I fought them from within their cells for 3 months. They disobeyed the court order that ordered for me to be set free. But after three months of such unlawful detention, they ran out of tricks. I was released. But I did not stop fighting them. They thought I would just go away. But they didn't know me well enough.

As I continued the fight against the EFCC leadership for corruption and abuse of the rights of Nigerians, they plotted again to detain me. On October 26, 2011, they detained me again, this time in Lagos. Again, they played every trick in their dirty books to delay my release, even after the court in Lagos ordered for me to be released.

Two years after, I look back at the EFCC and notice that every prediction I have made about that commission is coming true. The EFCC leadership and offers are the most corrupt Nigerians ever. They are 10 times worse that the people they claim to be arresting. I recall below certain encounters I had with them as a detainee.

Most Nigerians would never understand how really dump the EFCC leaders are. Do you know that on one occasion Mrs. Farida Waziri decided to lock up her driver and bodyguard in the same cell where I was. I will never forget that day. First and foremost, all the inmates were very respectful to me and they treated me with a lot of difference. They made me their leader and spokesman immediately I got there. The inmates were all eager to help me, to be nice to me, etc. Most of them believed I would be in a position to help them get out of the detention or even help them with their cases. They had never seen anybody before look the EFCC leaders in the eyes and chastise them.

The EFCC senior staff were afraid to come to the cell because I would always question them and castigate them and demand for better treatment of the inmates and the release of some of them who have been either ill or too manifestly abused. At some point, it seemed I was no longer interested in my own freedom, as I spent time and money helping the other inmates instead. The inmates really loved me. I saw how even poor people tried to share their things with me, and I had to fight hard to stop them. They knew I couldn't eat their food or drink the sachet water they drank. They made effort to make sure I was okay. But I also made sure I never became a burden to any of them. I stayed cheerful all the time. I teased them. I encouraged those who were down in spirit. I told them stories about life in America. I listened to stories about their families. I helped them understand their cases and the sort of defenses they had. I advised them on how to deal with the EFCC officers, etc.

They wanted to wash my clothes and do everything for me. But I didn't let them. I insisted on washing my own clothes. Even when the EFCC leaders stupidly placed me in the female section of the cell (so I would stop "brainwashing" the men), just to punish me, the ladies were so so eager to help me. They all loved me too. Indeed, the ladies wanted to wash my clothes. The ladies were unstoppable. I realized from that how much difficult it is stop determined women. Once a woman makes up her mind, you are wasting your time trying to stop. The ladies insisted on assisting me in every way they could. I would tell them I was okay and that I didn't need anything. But they would insist that I should have coffee or tea or stuff, even some Nigerian food that really made me sick because I hadn't been eating them for over 20 years. And the ladies were really very happy when I shared personal stories with them. Otherwise, when we talked, it was mostly about their cases. And something else too. The ladies were so happy to act couriers for smuggling out my prison notes (which will be published soon). It was much easier with ladies as couriers because they were not searched as strictly as the men couriers of my writings.

Back to the main story: Farida Waziri locked up her driver and bodyguards in the cell for insubordination. What did the men do? They had worked for a whole day and came home, only to be given no food. (They lived in her household and they ate there with all the other personal staff). The two men mildly voiced their unhappiness. They were thrown into the cell because they dared to ask why they were not given food for the day after a hard day labor.

I remember that evening, when one of the inmates came to me in the cell and said: "Barrister, Barrister, we have some important inmates you might be interested in knowing about". He was referring to Farida Waziri's driver and bodyguard. I advised him to make sure they were well settled down and to make sure they had some food from any food around, and if not, they should take money from me to send for food for them. In fact, when I heard their story, I arranged for them to have food so much as they could eat.

The next morning, the men were ready to be interviewed by me. I interviewed every inmate that came into the cell while I was there, once he settled down. Upon interviewing these men, I was able to obtain a treasure of information about Mrs. Farida Waziri's personal life and how she ran the EFCC. I already had a good idea how she ran the Commission. I needed information about her personal life. And the men were most helpful. First, I had to make sure they were sufficiently indignant for the way they were treated by Mrs. Farida Waziri. And I had to make sure that I got just the truth about her life, without exaggerations. And as a lawyer, I know how to examine a witness and be able to extract useful and accurate information. The men were police officers and they really didn't have to exaggerate anything, as the truth was weird enough to shock the conscience.

In the three day period the men spent in the cell, I knew every guesthouse and location where Mrs. Farida Waziri had sex with any of her three steady boyfriends (all married men), where those men work etc. (Note she is a married woman). I also knew that her husband, Senator Waziri, was suffering from advanced prostate. I learned she was a heavy drinker and used drugs. I learned where her children worked and how they got the jobs. It was a gold mine of information. I also knew through Mrs. Waziri's activities who was doing what in the EFCC, and I knew about the few younger male staff of the EFCC she was sleeping with. She had this young-boys scout around her whom she used for sexual pleasures. I would have wondered how a woman at her age could manage such high libido. But when you assess the effect of alcohol and drugs on the body, you would understand the possibilities.

I know a lot about the EFCC, the psychology of the officers and the dispositions of the agency. That made it possible for me to say things about the EFCC and be right down the line. I made extensive notes about my detention experience. I am working on a book that would expose all of them.