HURIWA Accuses Lamorde of Persecuting Officials

A non-governmental organisation Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has faulted a disclaimer published by the Ibrahim Lamorde-led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the weekend against two erstwhile officers of the anti-graft body, Mr. Michael Nzekwe and Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku, who are challenging before a competent court of law their retrenchment in questionable circumstances by the same leadership.

The rights group accused Lamorde of disregarding and disrespecting the competent court of law by making a publication of disclaimer on a matter before the court for determination and violated the fundamental right to fair hearing guaranteed under 1999 Constitution of as amended.

Michael Nzekwe was allegedly dismissed for purportedly travelling and overstaying his holiday without permission but he is in court challenging the legality of such a drastic action without the EFCC management having recourse to the internal mechanisms of tackling such staff matters.

HURIWA recalled that the Lamorde-led management had sensationally paid for half page advertorial in two national dailies at the weekend, to disclaim Nzekwe and Ibekaku, even when the Chairman of the EFCC is aware and has entered appearance through the EFCC‘s legal team in two separate matters before the Federal High Court Abuja Division and the National Industrial Court in which the duo, through their respective legal teams, are asking the judiciary to reverse their unconstitutional removal on the grounds that it bordered on witch hunt and illegality.

In the said disclaimer published in two newspapers last weekend, the advertisers who identified themselves as the management of the EFCC, stated that the duo were no longer staff of the anti-graft commission and should be disregarded should they parade themselves as officers of EFCC.

In a statement to the media jointly signed by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA stated that it smacks of total lack of respect for the competent court of law and indeed a sign of bad fate that the Ibrahim Lamorde-led EFCC has used funds of the commission to sponsor publications in the media to tarnish the integrity of the Nigerian court system by jumping the gun in pronouncing a fait accompli against the duo of Michael Nzekwe and Juliet Ibekaku when their litigation are yet to be determined.

Besides, HURIWA stated that in the matter instituted by Nzekwe there’s a serious allegations that his illegal and hasty removal from his duty post as a prosecution counsel with the EFCC on the directive of the EFCC chairman without due process was instigated by his refusal to allegedly compromise a petition of alleged bribery against one Mr. Aliyu Habeeb, a staff of EFCC and a relation by marriage to the Chairman, made by Mrs. Uzoma Attang, a director with the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, indicted in the N32 billion Police Pension Scam.

In the case Ibekaku, she was pushed out of her office as acting Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit.

She filed a matter before the National Industrial Court and hearings are ongoing. So why will the EFCC chairman rush to the press to demonise persons who are seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights as bonafide citizens of Nigeria holding lawful jobs with the EFCC that must not be terminated on the whims and caprice of the Chairman? “

HURIWA said ethnic cleansing is behind the selective witch hunt of professionals working diligently in EFCC who hail from the South-east zone of Nigeria because of perceived apprehension of the current holder of the office of chairman that his successor might be one of the two and because he (Lamorde ) has come under intense criticism for poor performance. “It is likely that he may be afraid that Mrs. Ibekaku may succeed him if the president-elect decides to wage serious anti-graft war from May 29, 2015. This is one of the reasons that may have motivated him to take the illegal decision of publishing a disclaimer in the media which completely amounts to contempt of court.”

HURIWA also stated that one of the two mentioned in the said disclaimer, Mrs Juliet Ibekaku, who petitioned the National Human Rights Commission, alleging breach of her fundamental human rights and threats to her life allegedly by the Chairman of the EFCC, had also contested elective position on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the running mate to the Enugu State governorship candidate.