That corruption is the source of all our problems, from insecurity, to poverty, to our underdevelopment and everything else is not news anymore either in Nigeria or to foreigners.

However I wish more journalists would put extreme pressure on the looting and stealing political "elites" to save our dear country. There are certainly many patriotic and honest Nigerians who mean well for our dear country. There are some very good journalists who could use words to convey strong messages that could educate the public of the true enemies of Nigeria.



My sincere belief is that it is easy to govern Nigeria, if three essential ingredients of nation-building were honestly and determinedly addressed - Patriotism, Corruption and Enforcement of the Written Laws of the Land. Lack of any of these reinforces the other and addressing any of them addresses the others automatically. The bane of Nigeria’s problems is the almost complete lack of patriotism, especially among the thieving "elites", which in turn, provides the fertile grounds for corruption. When I was in Lagos in 2007, one look at the traffic situation informed me that 98% of the traffic jams in Lagos is caused by human factor. Essentially, the lack of enforcement of the laws guiding road use, again due to corruption! This is just one example.

The aim of this write-up is to notify Babangida and his cronies that there are patriotic Nigerians all over the world, who have knowledge of his secret activities against the interests of Nigeria, for his own personal selfish benefits. His cousin had described him to me, as a ruthless, vindictive, unforgiving megalomaniac and extremely corrupt. Since he literally determines what happens in Nigeria, it might be very dangerous to pose a frontal attack against him. He’s a very ruthless man and powerful. If he could order his childhood friend, Gen. Mamman Vatsa, to be killed without batting an eyelid, we’d be just small mosquitoes!

We all need to start shouting our lungs out through writings, so that these thieves would feel the pressure and get out of the way for a better Nigeria It’s just a shame. When I was growing up in Cameroun, every remote village had pipe borne water and all the major towns and cities had 24hours /daily, of electricity! Nigeria is probably the only country in Africa where citizens defecate openly, all times of the day, in major cities, without consequences! I feel sad thinking about all these.

I’m currently based in the U.S and a full blooded and patriotic Nigerian, though born and raised outside Nigeria. The first impression any first time visitor would have of Nigeria would be of a country where nobody takes the law seriously because the laws are there but never enforced due to corruption; of a chaotic, free for all country with a complete lack of patriotism from top to bottom.

How did we get to this sorry and seemingly irreversible state? Our biggest problem is the continued recycling of the architects of corruption and their cronies, the so called military and political "elites", under various guises of minister this, minister that. Ghana was able to move forward because Rawlings realized that the only way to move Ghana on was to completely eliminate all the old thieves. This option may not be feasible in Nigeria’s case, but if we all join hands together, especially our journalists, and say “enough is enough” to these thieves, instead of celebrating them, we can achieve something significant. But first, we have to identify the architects of corruption and relentlessly go after them through our write-ups or other civil actions.



The sole architect of the extreme corruption as seen today in Nigeria and the sorry state of affairs is no other than the former dictator, IBRAHIM BADAMOSI BABANGIDA. One of his relatives was my roommate in the US during my under graduate education. I was able to glimpse the true nature of the beast from him. Here is the Babangida most Nigerians know nothing about. Babangida is the most destabilizing force in Nigeria today and the more Nigerians know about it the better.

Babangida was sent here (U.S) in 1983, for a military course, during the Reagan administration. He admired Ronald Reagan’s Machiavellian dribbles with the American public and became a disciple of Reagan’s trickle-down economics, popularly derided as "voodoo" economics, where the resources and wealth of a nation are distributed to a few cronies, with the hope that their business activities would create wealth that would trickle down to the common man! This is how Babangida single-handedly wiped out the Nigerian middle class, creating a few stealing billionaires and a mass of poverty, with nothing in-between.

Anyway, while in the U.S. it became obvious that Babangida was recruited by the CIA. Mobutu’s power and relevance to the U.S interests in Africa was waning and they needed another Mobutu in a strategic country. Babangida fitted Mobutu’s personality traits; very ambitious, unpatriotic, bold, greedy and cunning.

[img]http://2.bp..com/_GrDAQ4MFcs4/TGqsJh3fojI/AAAAAAAAB1E/nsMKbhMCivM/s400/ibb.jpg[/img]
So Babangida fitted the profile of a strong-man, like Mobutu, the U.S was looking for. It was also this time, in 1983, that Buhari and Idiagbon overthrew Shehu Shagari, who was drifting and didn’t seem to get a handle on how to move Nigeria forward. Buhari/Idiagbon had always been true patriots, and came in to try to save Nigeria. Buhari’s government was very serious about putting Nigeria on a straight path. There was a serious effort to combat indiscipline, drugs and corruption that bedevilled Shagari’s government. Buhari refused to borrow any more money from the IMF and World Bank; refused to devalue the Naira, as demanded by the West. When the West tried to blackmail and sabotage the Nigerian economy at that time, he countered it with the counter-trade polices, which was actually a corruption fighting tool (it was used by Cuba to neutralize years of America’s economic blockade of that island nation).The West knew that Buhari/Idiagbon were hell bent on serving only Nigeria’s interests against any other interests and they weren’t going to have it.

It should be remember that it was also during this period that Reagan was fighting several covert or proxy wars around the world. During the Reagan’s administration, the CIA actually became the main instrument, albeit covertly, of America’s foreign policy. When Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua became the leader of that country, it did not go down well with America because of his Marxist leanings. The CIA created and funded a rebel army, the Contras, to overthrow him, in what became known as the Contra War. The U.S Congress was kept in the dark about this covert war for a while, but when it came to their knowledge, they cut off all funding for the illegal war. The CIA was determined to bring down Ortega’s government so they had to come up with other ways of funding the war and bypass the Congress. They turned to selling drugs, but they could not do this directly from the U.S soil, so they looked for a Third World country to use to import the hard drugs and later smuggle to the U.S. Nigeria became very attractive to them because of its corruption, large population and chaotic nature. They felt it was the only country they could pull off such with relative ease. But Buhari was the head of state and was sending drug dealers to the firing squad. They knew he would never let them use Nigeria as their base for drug operations to fund their covert war. Nigeria was still the most attractive to them for the venture. It became clear to them that Buhari/Idiagbon had to go.

So entered Babangida and the coup that overthrew Buhari, covertly planned, supported and carried out with the aid of the CIA.



As soon as Babangida overthrew Buhari, he proceeded to undo everything Buhari tried to achieve for a better Nigeria. He devalued the naira, accepted all the conditionalities of the IMF and World Bank. Nigeria became a free for all with zero accountability. If you remembered his speech after the coup, there were ramblings about democracy, free market, human rights, etc. In fact the wording of that speech could have been scripted by the American State Department. In 1986, the Time Magazine (either February or September edition) reported that at the height of America’s covert wars during the Reagan administration, the U.S had the very elite commando unit of their armed forces, the SEAL, dispatched to several different countries for covert activities. Guess what; this unit was in Nigeria in August 1985, during the week that Babangida overthrew Buhari. These Special Forces are highly trained in all kinds of warfare. No Nigerian ever asked why they were in Nigeria at that particular time. The thinking of the CIA was that a coup against a Northern Muslim Fulani by a middle belt military personnel would be resisted and therefore bloody. So the SEAL was dispatched to make sure Babangida succeeded. If the coup had been resisted, Buhari and Idiagbon would have been killed, no question about it

After the coup, the CIA cut a deal with Babangida, where Nigeria was used as a major drug transit and money laundering center for the proceeds of the CIA drug trade. This is how the CIA was funding their Contra war. The phony or rogue bank, BCCI (Bank of Credit and Commerce International) was used to launder the proceeds of the drug business and take them out of the country. Babangida’s loots left the country through this bank. Remember that branches of this bank were everywhere in Lagos and the North. Two investigative journalists in the US later broke the news that the CIA was involved in drug smuggling to fund the Contra War. They didn’t mention the country that was used, but from all indications, it was Nigeria! However, Dele Giwa somehow stumbled on this information and was seriously investigating it and was about to break the news when he was killed. This is the main reason that Babangida had Dele Giwa killed.



Remember also that the former leader of Burkina Faso, Capt. Thomas Sankara, of blessed memory, was a close friend, albeit, revolutionary friend of Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, who was hated so much by the .U.S. After Sankara was killed, obviously with help from the West, the rest of Africa condemned the cowardly act except Babangida. As a matter of fact, he gave the leader of the coup that killed Sankara, Major Compaore Blaise, a red carpet welcome to Lagos, barely a week after the murder. Again when in 1986, Reagan unjustifiably bombed Libya and killed Gadaffi`s daughter, everybody in Africa condemned the unprovoked attack, except Babangida, who was blaming Gaddafi for the attack.

Toward the end of 1986, or 1987, (can’t remember the exact year), Babangida was given a "Strategic" award, by the Heritage Foundation, a US right wing front whose philosophy is total world domination, economically, politically and militarily. The few other people, who had received this award, include Henry Kissinger and the former NATO Commander, Alexander Haig, people who had gone out of their way and the risk of their lives to advance America’s interests.



No Nigerian journalist or news organization asked or questioned the reason IBB was given that award. Nobody asked why there was an explosion of drug activities during IBB’s regime. The only investigative journalist we had, Dele Giwa, was killed, so we were and still are in the dark of what is actually going on in Nigeria. And to make things worse, most of our papers are owned by the looters or friends of the looters.

Anyway, it was during IBB’s regime that most of our wealth was looted out of the country (about 80%). It was the dream of America to make IBB, President for Life, just like Mobutu.

Enter Orji Kalu, now former Governor of Abia State. I am not very sure whether it was IBB who introduced Kalu to the CIA or the other way round, but it was the dream of the US to make Babangida the President and Kalu his Vice. Kalu is still a sleeper operative of the CIA. Three weeks before the last presidential election in 2007, Kalu was at the CIA headquarters at Langley, Virginia. The only way anybody could get into that building is if you have a top secret security clearance or an active asset of the CIA with high level security clearance. Remember that Kalu had always boasted about how close he was with the Bush family. The only link between the two is the CIA and the fact that Kalu was a valuable asset for them, having proved it by betraying Nigeria, one way or the other, for his own personal gain.



How did IBB move his loots to France and Switzerland? IBB is as devilishly clever as he is ruthless. Kalu became the go-between, between him and the CIA, to avoid being linked to the CIA. With the help of the CIA, Kalu created numerous phony front companies to launder IBB’s loots and payouts from the CIA deal, and move them out of the country through the rogue bank, BCCI. This is why when Ribadu arrested Kalu for corruption, the Bush regime was up in arms against it, and the current Attorney General, Michael Aondoaaka took over the EFCC, in a mild drama. I’ll come to this later.

Kalu has the same character traits as Babangida or even worse. The CIA found him very valuable to them because this guy could do literally anything for personal gains and aggrandizement. Remember, Kalu had always stated that he is who he is today because of IBB. In fact this is the only honest statement that ever came out of Kalu’s mouth.



IBB created the very problems we are all suffering today. He never ever wanted to give up power for what he was getting out of it. He is an extremely crafty guy and dangerously cunning.

America’s dream, or rather the CIA’s dream, was to make Babangida a long time dictator like Mubarak of Egypt, and Orji Kalu his vice president, and for Kalu to continue after Babangida. The election that Babangida held in 1993 and which Abiola won was never meant to be. Babangida never wanted to give up power. America didn’t want him to give up power either. So he wasted all our resources, just to pretend that he wanted to give up power. He annulled the election on the advice of the State Department of the US, who did not trust Abiola to cut deals with them whenever they needed one. When Abacha realized that Babangida had no intention of giving up power, he tricked Babangida and forced him to hand over to the Shonekan’s so-called Interim National Government. The US never forgave Abacha for that. Abacha’s demonization went full blast. The US had hopes that they could still find a way to bring Babangida to power. The easiest way would be to eliminate the two major contenders, Abacha and Abiola.This would leave us no other option but Babangida. Abacha and Abiola could have been killed with the assistance of the CIA. I studied chemistry, as an undergraduate, and I know that a very minute drop of concentrated potassium chloride could easily create a massive natural heart attack and death immediately. Potassium chloride (KCl) has a very narrow lethal dose, i.e. very narrow range of lethality. This is the weapon of choice for most intelligence covert operations, because it could never be traced by any toxicology tests. My strong suspicion leans toward the use of KCl to kill Abiola and Abacha, to make way for Babangida to return. Babangida has never told the truth about why he annulled that election. He could never tell the true reason. Nigeria was smart to let Abdulsalam to rule after Abacha’s death, instead of Babangida. Abacha was never a saint, but most of the demonization against him was orchestrated by America, in a way, to divert attention away from Babangida. Even the so called Abacha loot in Swiss banks could have been Babangida’s, just to use the insignificant amount to blackmail Abacha, and have Nigerians believe that all the looting was done by Abacha.You see, our biggest problem is believing everything the West tells us without questions, not minding that they have always employed the Machiavellian doctrines in their dealings with the rest of the world.




The US actually succeeded in having every Nigerian talking about Abacha’s loot, while Babangida conveniently faded to the background, attending weddings, birthday parties, funerals, etc, everywhere! In 2007, all grounds were cleared for Babangida to sneak back, and with the advice of the Bush Administration, for him to appoint Kalu as his running mate, a position which Kalu declined.

Most Nigerians, and most of the rest of the world except Western Europe and Israel, are extremely naive about America. As much as being utilitarian, Americans are natural existentialists, driven in all their actions, bad or good, only by self interests. The only thing consistent about Americans as individuals is their unpredictability. For example, an American can ceremoniously and sanctimoniously give you a million dollars today, and tomorrow that same American kills you unceremoniously over five dollars! It saddens me whenever I read about our government officials trooping here to "learn" about the American system. The American government structure is very organized and extremely well structured and managed by very patriotic citizens. But honestly, America does not want the same fine structure for any part of the world outside Western Europe and Israel. America’s prosperity and power are based partly on their ability to manipulate all the developing countries to remain dependent, so that they could easily be used.



America did not accomplish their goal to return IBB to power in 1993, but they encouraged him to contest in 2007. In fact, everything was on the ground for him to run again, but Kalu refused the Vice President-ship. I, personally, was very alarmed that Nigerians folded their arms and some misguided corrupt cronies were actually rooting for this evil man who killed the finest of young Nigerian army officers, and essentially the architect of the present rot we are in.

I sent part of the information I’m giving you to Nuhu Ribadu, when he was Chairman of EFCC, and also to the Sun Newspaper (at the time, I did not know the paper was owned by Orji Kalu, Babangida’s partner in crime). I’m very sure Ribadu read it, and probably briefed Obasanjo about it. Those at the Sun Newspaper could have informed Kalu about it, and Babangida could have gotten wind of it. About a month after I sent the article, I learnt that Babangida withdrew his ambition with the phony excuse that he would not run against his "younger brother, Yar’Adua".

My honest belief then was that he realized that there were people with damaging information about him. And also, Obasanjo could also have discouraged him, having been briefed about this information by Ribadu.These are my speculations as to why Babangida suddenly withdrew from contesting. So Ribadu played a major part in Babangida not running in the 2007 election.

Babangida has a huge animosity against Ribadu, who was really responsible for derailing Babangida`s presidential ambition in 2007. He never forgave him. In one of his several wedding or funeral services talks, Babangida made it clear that even if he never ran for the Presidency again, he would be involved in determining whoever rules Nigeria. He was responsible for the selection of Yar’Adua as President, after twisting Obasanjo’s hand, who owed him for getting him out of jail and making him President in 1999.

Most of PDP’s "BIG" men are all carry-overs from the Babangida’s regime. Remember when he said he was satisfied with the selection of Yar’Adua as President, calling him his younger brother? He actually forced his old cronies and "boys" in the PDP to select Yar’Adua. He knew that Yar’Adua has a lot of humility, defers to him and lacks self confidence. He knew he could easily manipulate Yar’Adua. Essentially, Babangida is actually the one still calling the shots, behind the scenes, in Yar ‘Adua’s government.



All Ribadu’s problems were orchestrated by Babangida. Most Nigerians thought it was Ibori, but though Ibori is one of his "boys", Babangida is the only one in Nigeria powerful enough to go against Obasanjo’s friends. Babangida influenced the appointments of Okiro (IGP) and Aondoakaa (AGF) and Waziri (EFCC), all in an effort to kill the war on corruption, and stop all the noise about corruption. Have you noticed that in all his public utterances, Babangida had never said anything against corruption? He does not see corruption as corruption, because he believes in Reagan’s trickle down or voodoo economics, i.e. give the wealth of the nation to a few of his cronies in government or business, and they would create wealth for others. It is this same Reagan’s idea that is wreaking havoc in the American economy today!

Everyday, Yar ‘Adua’s government looks more and more like Babangida’s regime, because he influenced Yar’Adua to recycle his old cronies into important positions. These are men who through the years, have perfected the art and science of stealing and looting.

Babangida remains the most destabilizing and powerful force in Nigeria today. It’s almost as if he owns Nigeria. He remains untouchable because all the recycled kleptomaniacs called politicians, who are in leadership positions today, owe their wealth and power to Babangida Watch my words, all talk about Nigeria’s progress, remains just talk, until Babangida’s powers and influence are erased. Until we have bold, very patriotic, incorruptible, and independent individuals elected by the people, Nigeria would go nowhere!!!!.


[img]http://nationalmirroronline.net/thumbnail.php?file=IBB_865331030.jpg&size=article_large[/img]

The only leader that Nigerian people ever elected was Abiola. The others were either influenced by foreign powers in collusion with corrupt politicians and the military. Nigeria needs the likes of Nuhu Ribadus, Gani Fawhinmis, Tai Solarins, and yes, Mohammed Buharis and Babatunde Idiagbons.

I was born in Cameroun, and I am a true pan-Africanist. I am an extremely patriotic Nigerian with a lot of passion for Nigeria. Any foreigner who ever comes in contact with me ends up loving Nigeria and wanting to go there. It’s my little way of rebranding Nigeria, whatever that really means. I sincerely believe that Nigeria could potentially be the greatest wholly black nation on earth if we could put our acts together and stop corruption at all cost and by all means necessary. The West is very much aware of Nigeria’s potentials and they are doing everything to stop it, especially the US.

This is why the American Press uses every opportunity to humiliate Nigeria, to make us lose our Natural self confidence and not compete with them toe-to-toe. There are more criminals in one American city, than all of Nigeria combined! The truth is that a powerful wholly black nation would shatter the methodical stereotype of the black race, as stupid, by their media over the years. A powerful black nation would also awaken their black population to aim higher, and regain their confidence after years of emasculation. This is something they’ll do everything to avoid. I honestly believe that most of our problems, especially the Niger Delta, could be traced back to LONDON AND WASHINGTON, through their multinational corporations, who corrupt and impose corrupt and inept leaders on us

.............Anyway, let see what we do to help our country.

The article should be reconstructed as poser questions for Babangida to answer to Nigerians. This brings out all the points of interests, but avoids accusing him directly
This would force him to react and be on the defensive, thereby, exposing himself for a second look by Nigerians.

Cozie Chimason

Am.Michael@nigeriama

[size=18pt]The Nigerian Genocidal kleptomaniac that is IBB[/size]

WHEN he hurriedly departed from power 17 years ago, he left behind a broken country; its people in stifled rage over his irrational and inexplicable nullification of the freest election ever conducted in Nigeria. He had ceaselessly dribbled the entire nation while denying repeatedly that he had a hidden agenda as was then alleged by the now late Alao Aka-Basorun.

Again and again, he tinkered with the very foundation of the country and experimented with abandon any, and every kind of theory of governance with uniformly disastrous results. His experiments in this opaque style of government failed spectacularly and in the end he left in place a functioning anarchy. Nor did he realise when to stop the dribbling runs and so scored an own-goal.

That singular misadventure in all his years in power left in its wake a sado-masochist, who sought to complete the mindless rape of the country as we knew it. On Aug. 27, 2010, it was 25 years since he violently seized power from Mohammadu Buhari and negatively altered our lives forever.

About 14 days ago, I read in THE PUNCH, an advertorial seeking the support of Nigerians for this thoroughly discredited soldier in contesting the presidency. It was signed by the evil genius himself. He assures Nigerians that ‘we‘ can do it again because ‘we‘ did it before! Do what really? As an individual, Babangida evokes within me a series of very negative emotional reactions all of which have marinated in vitriol since his ignominious departure from power.

He compromised every institution of state and undermined civil society organisations. His Structural Adjustment Programme; Movement for Social Mobilisation; Directorate of Foods Roads and Rural Ifrastructure; Dutch Auction; Modified Dutch Auction; Option A4; Organisation of Islamic Conference; the government-decreed political parties, one a little to the right and the other a little to the left; dictatorship; plutocracy; diarchy; the reforms in the civil service and the politicisation of the Armed Forces did not survive his tyrannical rule.

Instead, they worsened the polity across the board and at an immense cost physically and socially. All of it was a ruse, which the then military president carefully calibrated to keep the people busy while the lion devoured the flock. The mentality was of a vampire guarding a blood bank.

Worse, very weighty allegations levelled against his regime in the coup-day speech by Gideon Orkah in April 1991 have never been addressed by this Minna-born bully who speaks English with an amusing accent. Nor has he ever shown any faith in the country‘s institutions. He subverted its people and their judicial system when he refused to appear at the Oputa Panel in 2000.

Before then, of course, he had subverted the constitution by annulling a nearly flawless election. He abdicated his responsibility to the people of Nigeria, acted in cahoots with the discredited military establishment to endanger our collective security and therefore imperilled our future. With great aplomb, he claimed to know those who would not succeed him, an indication that the result of the 1993 presidential election was known before the vote.

Today, he immorally seeks power by becoming a candidate in another election. It is not surprising for many have often made the fatal error of crediting him with a lot of intelligence. What he has in abundance is animal cunning, a gift for conniving in unholy darkness, for springing the ambush of the predator, in the brutal contest for the attainment of power.

The end-product is a man who would not tell the truth if the lie will serve him just as well. Consequently, his antecedents show him up as psychologically unsuited for the office of president in a democratic and plural society. He is the ultimate anti-democrat who now seeks power by democratic means. That is much the same way that Adolf Hitler legitimately won power but the world saw to what use that power was deployed.

Besides his duplicitous and untrustworthy nature is the pretence to godliness. He would frequently lace important public statements with phrases like Insha allah and Alhamdililah, but it must be evident to all that this is one individual who, despite wearing a toga of religious piety, worships only at the altar of his image.

If he succeeds this time because of our collective personal failings to recognise evil when we see it, Nigeria would have begun a certain journey on the path to irreversible decline. At 69, this slayer of Mamman Vatsa, Gideon Orkah and countless other military officers is well past his prime. Even at his best, he brought much odium and suffering to the people of Nigeria despite having been at the helm for one sixth of Nigeria‘s entire 50 year history.

At his age today we can expect that he will sell the entire nation to a consortium of shady characters, coup plotters and dubious businessmen who will denigrate Nigeria to the level of Haiti. That he succeeded before in drawing rings around us is not surprising, but that he succeeded so regularly and so spectacularly is what is truly astonishing.

The ordinary Nigerian is able to withstand what his latest adventure represents. However, the vehicle he seeks is a dangerous political party that wants to win power at any cost. It is perhaps the most irresponsible political party on the African continent. The largest? Can it claim to come even close to the African National Congress in South Africa in ideology, in size or in organisational skills? Or to the rigorous discipline of the MPLA in Angola?

He had a golden opportunity to become a genuine African hero and he simply bungled it. To this day, his regime remains an exemplar of arbitrariness and immense corruption, a symbol of government by attrition, the very one which brought brilliant economists into the government while its principal officers sauntered into the barn and asphyxiated the economy. His incredulous response? Why has the economy not collapsed?

So if he thinks he is a symbol, it is mostly of what? It will be a sorry return to the politics of a failed past which conspired with emergency intellectuals and imported ideology to negate our natural aspirations to grow physically and economically as expected of the youthful population that Nigeria is blessed with. In societies where the rule of law is upheld to the letter, this non-performer should have been in jail and in those promoting revolutionary law he would have been summarily executed.

But this is Nigeria where anything is possible including the truly bizarre. Nothing is ever the way it appears to be ordinarily, but in the hands of professional politicians such as this re-entrant into presidential politics, who ceaselessly profiteer from power, the cloak and dagger approach to important matters of state would as expected attain a more violent coloration.

We have endured enough bloodshed in this country following the end of the Civil War, enough violence, enough uncertainty and a disproportionate amount of all this is traceable directly and indirectly to Babangida. If the question arose about whether he should be given another chance, even if to improve on his rather sordid record, my answer would be overwhelmingly no.

Sadly, this poorly educated soldier – he does not hold a degree or even a diploma – tells the world that the youths of Nigeria are incapable of leading the nation because of their poor education. Most youths in authority today are much better educated than he is.

Dr. Ikhisemojie writes in from Eyiowuawi Street, Palmgrove, Lagos, via sikhisemojie@yahoo.com


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[size=23pt]IBB and the missing $12.4bn[/size]

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN) and the Central Bank of Nigeria have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to reject the Okigbo panel report as “the report is not admissible in law because it has not yet been published in a gazette and no white paper has been issued on the report.”

The AGF and the CBN were responding to a suit filed against them in September 2010 by a coalition of six civil society groups seeking information on how $12.4 billion oil windfall of between 1988 and 1994 was spent.
The Plaintiffs are Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP); Women Advocates and Documentation Centre (WARDC); Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR); Access to Justice (AJ); Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), and Partnership for Justice.

The suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/640/10 was brought under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 by the groups’ lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

In their separate preliminary objections filed last week before the court, both the AGF and the CBN also argued that the plaintiffs have no locus standi; and are not juristic persons as they are not registered.

The CBN said that the suit is not justiciable as it is not covered under the fundamental rights provisions of sections 33-46 of the 1999 Constitution.
The AGF said that the affidavit in support of the suit was “not duly stamped.”

Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP executive director said that, “We strongly reject the objections raised by both the AGF and the CBN. We are finalising a reply, which we will file in court in due course.”

Earlier, the plaintiffs in their suit had averred that “In 1994, the Federal Government set up the Pius Okigbo Panel to investigate the activities of the Central Bank of Nigeria and recommend measures for the re-organisation of the bank. In the course of its assignment, the Okigbo Panel found that the $12.5 billion in the Dedicated and Special Accounts had been depleted to $200 million by June 1994. As a result of the alleged mismanagement of the said $12.2 billion by the military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, the Okigbo Panel recommended that the Dedicated and Special Accounts be discontinued.”

The Plaintiffs are seeking an order of Mandamus compelling the respondents individually and/or collectively to publish detailed statement of account relating to the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall between 1988 and 1994, and to publish in major national newspapers a copy of the statement of account.

Besides, they want the court to order the respondents to prosecute anyone indicted by the report, recoup the money from them and return same to the treasury.

They also want an order directing the respondents to provide adequate reparation, which may take the form of restitution, compensation, satisfaction or guarantees of non-repetition to millions of Nigerians that have been denied their human rights as a result of the respondents’ failure and/or negligence to ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall between 1988 and 1994.

According to the plaintiffs, “The need for information regarding the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall is important to promote transparency and accountability in the management of public resources and to fulfill Nigeria’s international obligations to promote the development of the country. Access to information of this nature is especially important in this country, which is struggling to establish the rule of law and democracy in the face of underdevelopment, poverty, illiteracy and diseases. The right of access to information is also crucial to the realisation of all other human rights, including the peoples’right to their natural wealth and resources.”

“Public bodies hold information not for themselves but as custodians of the public good and everyone has a right to access this information. Unless the Court compels Mr. Adoke and the CBN to disclose the information requested in this case, the information may never be disclosed and Nigeria will remain in breach of its international anticorruption and human rights obligations and commitments,” the plaintiffs further argued.

The plaintiffs also argued that “The diversion and/or mismanagement of the $12.4 billion oil windfall is a violation of Nigerians’ right to natural resources and wealth and to economic development, as recognised and guaranteed by 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act). Under the African Charter, the Nigerian government has a legal responsibility to utilise the natural resources of the country so as to benefit the whole people. Just as the people of every sovereign state have a permanent right to choose their form of government, so the people are entitled to insist that the natural resources of the nation be exploited in the interest of the people.”
The plaintiffs are contending that, “the right of a people not to be dispossessed of their wealth and natural resources is not just any ordinary right, but the fundamental human right. This right is an essential element of peoples’ economic security, survival and independence.”

“The point about the permanent sovereignty of peoples over their natural resources is not that the resources in question may not be mined and sold. Such doctrine would render them valueless. The point is rather that the national community in which the resources are found is to be a significant beneficiary of their exploitation. The nation-state is now expected to contribute to the welfare of all inhabitants without even having the right to discriminate among them,” the plaintiffs further argued.

The Plaintiffs want the court to declare that

•The respondents are individually and/or collectively required to guarantee to the applicants and Nigerians the right to receive information regarding the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall documented by the Pius Okigbo Panel report; the right to natural wealth and resources; and the right to development, as recognized and guaranteed by Articles 2, 9, 21, and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act

•The failure, negligence and/or refusal of the Respondents individually and/or collectively to publicly and urgently release detailed statement of account relating to the spending of $12.4 billion oil windfall between 1988 and 1994 as documented by the Pius Okigbo panel report is illegal and unlawful as it violates Article 9 of the African Charter.

http://news./politics/headline/Babangida-s-12-4-billion-Oil-Windfall-Loot-AGF-CBN-Tell-Court-To-Reject-Okigbo-report

[size=18pt]IBB's $4.5bn debt buy-back was a secret deal, says U.S. collaborator[/size]

http://nigeriaworld.com/news/daily/2000/jun/121.html

Nigeriaworld
Monday, June 12, 2000
Laolu Akande
Washington, DC, USA Intricate details of the $4.5 billion debt buy back scheme of the Babangida administration came into the open over the weekend in Washington DC as the main foreign partner of the then military administration conceded that the scheme was shrouded in secrecy as alleged by Mr John Fashanu. Fashanu had compiled a lengthy report on the buy back scheme that he said was a scam by the Babangida administration.

Bu the foreign partner, an American, Mr. Bob Minton , who among with two others bought back the debts and resold to Nigeria between 1988 and 1993 contended that if the scheme was not secret, the deal would not have been worth it as the price of the debt will go up if it was done in the open market.

Indeed Minton said by now publicly disclosing the contents of the deal he was violating the terms of agreement between them and the then Nigerian Government and the CBN to keep the transaction secret. But he justified this so as to clear his own name, stressing that he was also prepared to testify before the Nigerian senate if called upon to do so.

Minton spoke on Sunday evening in DC at a forum organized by the Prof.Bolaji Aluko -led Washington DC - based Nigerian Democratic Movement (NDM) at the Howard University in Washington where Aluko is Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department. But Mr. John Fashanu who was also billed to attend the forum with his investigator, Canada based Robert Clarke, to confront Minton on the deal was absent at the forum, which clearly took the organizers of the forum and others present aback. The forum was designed as a confrontation between Fashanu and those he accused of embezzling Nigerian funds through the buy back.

Minton a stockily- built Caucasian who came to the venue of the forum with packets of files and his personal staff said he had nothing to hide denying that his accounts were not frozen anywhere as alleged by the Fashanu report. He called for an independent auditing firm to come and audit the transactions. But he was buffeted by members of the audience on questions regarding the propriety of the buy back scheme, especially regarding whether such a scheme made in secret was the best option for Nigeria. Or if such secrecy was in line with an open market standard and fair public bidding process. Minton said it was the decision of the Nigerian government to enter into the deal and not his. But that he was pleased to provide the service to Nigeria.He however said he will not go into such a deal again because he is now concerned in his life with other things apart from making money.

According to him what he and his 2 other partners did, for which they made $45m in 5 years, was to buy back the said debts some of which were already being sold at secondary markets. They then resell to Nigeria, in that way reducing the debt load of Nigeria at the time. Minton said in his opening remarks b4 he began to field questions from the audience with Aluko moderating that some of the debts were being written off already by the creditors b4 the buy back scheme began. He added however that if Nigeria continued then to ignore the debts it would lead to difficulty in securing credits and possible seizure of Nigerian property abroad.

In all Minton who named his other partners in the deal as Jeff Schmidt and Celine Louis said they bout 3 levels of Nigerian debts between 1988 and 1993.these were $1.1 billion in CBN promissory notes, $3billion in FG public debts and $464m in multilateral debts. Asked if he knew these debts to be genuine Minton who spoke and took questions from Nigerian and Americans at the forum for close to 2 hours said the public debts were simply designated as general-purpose loans. He said he knew that some of CBN's promissory notes were litigated upon and some were cancelled but that those they bought were valid.

Minton added that he and his partners under the business name of Greenland Holdings held, (during the deal that lasted 5 years) a total of $2.8 billion Nigerian money. The break down of which is; Reserves-$1.1, Buyback proceeds $1.2 billion, $60 million from NNPC and $464 million in interests that Nigeria was paying while they bought the debts.

On the expenditure side Minton disclosed that they spent $1.5 billion on the debt purchase and another $1.2 billion on buyback proceeds to the CBN.

Buyback interests to CBN was also put at $3.5 million. Other expenditures were $4.5 million Bank debt holding fees, $3.7 million bank debt exit fees, $14 million in payments to the NNPC, $60 million in promissory notes repurchase from NNPC, $138,688 in interest paid to NNPC and $658,278 transfer to Federal Government of Nigeria.

Minton said if the CBN figures are different from his own he could not say but that he is confident that his figures are accurate. He put the cash at hand at the end of the deal at 0. But the total of the expenditure side was put also put at $2.8 like the income side. He added that unlike what the Fashanu report suggested that they bought the Nigerian debts at 20cents on a dollar and sold for 60cents,that Nigeria actually paid 34cents on a dollar. Minton contrasted their own buy back deal with the one under the Abacha regime where he said Abacha's son bought the Ajaokuta debt for 20cents and sold for 60 cents on a dollar. According to Minton "that was a scam"

In trying to defend his involvement in the deal Minton said he did not do anything criminal as Nigerian Lawyers in New York had already given clearance for the buy back. But he said the deal was indeed not in the spirit of the loan agreements that Nigeria entered into with the creditor banks.

But he said they offered Nigeria the best deal on the buyback. He disclosed that the CBN were then unwilling to deal with Citibank of New York for the buy back. This was because of a previous debt sale involving Citibank and Ecuador where Citibank had to seize Ecuador's property. He said his partner Jeff Schmidt whom he said had met Babangida while he was in power was the one who was always in Nigeria during the deal serving as adviser to the FG. He said that Jeff Schmidt was still playing advisory role to Nigeria at this time.

Minton disclosed that Schmidt has had several years of relationships with powerful Nigerians who he said might include the current president.

Minton further revealed that while they were trying to enter into the deal, they were told that president Obasanjo who was then a known international figure had offered IBB to do the debt buy back instead of them. He said Obasanjo was reported to them as having asked for only 1% of the debt's face value. They eventually also offered to do the deal for the same 1% and got the business.

As to the steps he will take on the accusations leveled against him by the Fashanu report when asked, Minton said he has retained counsel in Nigeria, sued Fashanu in Italy and will also proceed to sue him in Germany and UK.

Minton has said in his opening remarks that he knew that both Babangida and Abacha looted Nigeria's money. However when asked if he will give more information he said he had none besides knowing that it was the practice in Nigeria then for leaders to steal money. The exception he said was that in his own estimation "What Babangida stole was within acceptable limits but Abacha was stealing everything and stepping on toes everywhere" He added that his partner Jeff Schmidt who he said was still doing business with the CBN had told him that IBB would be prepared to testify before the senate. His partner had also told him that IBB was supposed to call him recently but changed his mind when the heat on the buy back deal apparently mellowed. While speaking he kept referring to IBB's camp and when asked what he meant he said that was a phrase he heard from his partner Jeff Schmidt, who is still doing business with Nigeria at this time.

Minton condemned the Fashanu report and alleged that Fashanu was being used by the Church of Scientology with whom he has a 3 year old running battle (for which he said the church is investigating him for 3 years) over the church's alleged human right violations and murder of certain persons by the church which he is bringing to the open. Minton said that Fashanu does not know that he is being used by the Church of scientology which he said has also got in touch with the Nigerian Vice president who received the Church's leader in Abuja recently according to Minton.Minton said that visit was made possible by the OPEC Sec-Gen Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman whom he said is a member of the Church of Scientology. He alleged that Fashanu's private investigator who was also billed to attend Sunday's forum in DC Mr. Robert Clarke was a top notch of the Church of Scientology and is also known as David Lee.

Minton said the church of scientology cannot help Nigeria because all they want was to silence him in his crusade against the church. Members of the audience some of whom were international economists and scholars told Minton that such lending practices that was used to do the deal have infact been condemned by the Brentwoods institutions. He was also asked him if he had been in Nigeria before to see the condition of the Nigerian people from whose govt he made $45 million in four years, but Minton said it was his partner Jeff Schimdt who was always going to Nigeria. He was also asked where was he when Nigeria was also experiencing dire human rights violation under the military like that of IBB with whom he was involved in this buy back deal. Minton said that he has a sense of obligation to help Nigeria and that his partner Jeff Schmidt has a scholarship fund for Nigerians to come to college in the US and that he also contributes to that fund.

Those present at the forum included Mr George Noah, a London based journalist who has been involved in widely reporting the Fashanu report, Mrs Chris Anyanwu, Dr Nwankwo, Dr Gbadegesin of the Howard University, Mr Ademola Oyinlola of Tell. Professor Aluko's group also honored Mrs Anyanwu with a presentation of the NDM's first June 12 award for her "grace and courage in defence against tyranny". The forum was NDM's own celebration of the June 12 anniversary. Aluko said they wanted to bring issues involved in the buy back scheme into the open.He and George Noah led in questioning Minton.

In his comments Dr Nwankwo called for a commission to investigate the buyback,while Dr Gbadegesin argued against such but cautioned that no judgement can as yet be passed on the Fashanu report in spite of Minton's presentation saying such will not be fair for now.The Professor Aluko led NDM received wide commendations from the audience for organising the forum.

http://www.holysmoke.org/minton/mintonjh.htm

[size=18pt]
Desire to appease IMF and release jailed corrupt politicians is evident in Coup Speech of General Ibrahim Babangida – 27th August 1985[/size]

Fellow Nigerians, When in December 1983, the former military leadership, headed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, assumed the reins of government, its accession was heralded in the history of this country. With the nation at the mercy of political misdirection and on the brink of economic collapse, a new sense of hope was created in the minds of every Nigerian.

Since January 1984, however, we have witnessed a systematic denigration of that hope. It was stated then that mismanagement of political leadership and a general deterioration in the standard of living, which had subjected the common man to intolerable suffering, were the reasons for the intervention.

Nigerians have since then been under a regime that continued with those trends. Events today indicate that most of the reasons which justified the military takeover of government from the civilians still persist.

The initial objectives were betrayed and fundamental changes do not appear on the horizon. Because the present state of uncertainty, suppression and stagnation resulted from the perpetration of a small group, the Nigerian Armed Forces could not as a part of that government be unfairly committed to take responsibility for failure. Our dedication to the cause of ensuring that our nation remains a united entity worthy of respect and capable of functioning as a viable and credible part of the international community dictated the need to arrest the situation.

Let me at this point attempt to make you understand the premise upon which it became necessary to change the leadership. The principles of discussions, consultation and co-operation which should have guided decision-making process of the Supreme Military Council and the Federal Executive Council were disregarded soon after the government settled down in 1984. Where some of us thought it appropriate to give a little more time, anticipating a conducive atmosphere that would develop, in which affairs of state could be attended to with greater sense of responsibility, it became increasingly clear that such expectations could not be fulfilled.

Regrettably, it turned out that Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was too rigid and uncompromising in his attitudes to issues of national significance. Efforts to make him understand that a diverse polity like Nigeria required recognition and appreciation of differences in both cultural and individual perceptions, only served to aggravate these attitudes.

Major-General Tunde Idiagbon was similarly inclined in that respect. As Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, he failed to exhibit the appropriate disposition demanded by his position. He arrogated to himself absolute knowledge of problems and solutions, and acted in accordance with what was convenient to him, using the machinery of government as his tool.

A combination of these characteristics in the two most important persons holding the nation’s vital offices became impossible to content with. The situation was made worse by a number of other government functionaries and organisations, chief among which is the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO). In fact, this body will be overhauled and re-organized.

And so it came to be that the same government which received the tumultuous welcome now became alienated from the people. To prevent a complete erosion of our given mandate therefore, we had to act so that hope may be rebuilt.

Let me now address your attention to the major issues that confront us, so that we may, as one people, chart a future direction for our dear country. We do not pretend to have all the answers to the questions which our present problems have put before our nation. We have come with the strongest determination to create an atmosphere in which positive efforts shall be given the necessary support for lasting solutions.

For matters of the moment which require immediate resolutions, we intend to pursue a determined programme of action. Major issues falling into this category have been identified and decisions taken on what should be done.

Firstly, the issue of political detainees or convicts of special military tribunals. The history of our nation had never recorded the degree of indiscipline and corruption as in the period between October 1979 and December 1983.

While this government recognises the bitterness created by the irresponsible excesses of the politicians, we consider it unfortunate that methods of such nature as to cause more bitterness were applied to deal with past misdeeds. We must never allow ourselves to lose our sense of natural justice. The innocent cannot suffer the crimes of the guilty. The guilty should be punished only as a lesson for the future. In line with this government’s intention to uphold fundamental human rights, the issue of detainees will be looked into with despatch.

As we do not intend to lead a country where individuals are under the fear of expressing themselves, the Public Officers Protection Against False Accusation Decree 4 of 1984 is hereby repealed. And finally, those who have been in detention under this decree are hereby unconditionally released. The responsibility of the media to disseminate information shall be exercised without undue hindrance. In that process, those responsible are expected to be forthright and to have the nation’s interest as their primary consideration.

The issue of decrees has generated a lot of controversies. It is the intention of this government to review all other decrees.

The last twenty months have not witnessed any significant changes in the national economy. Contrary to expectations, we have so far been subjected to a steady deterioration in the general standard of living; and intolerable suffering by the ordinary Nigerians have risen higher, scarcity of commodities has increased, hospitals still remain mere consulting clinics, while educational institutions are on the brink of decay. Unemployment has stretched to critical dimensions.

Due to the stalemate, which arose in negotiation with the International Monetary Fund, the former government embarked on a series of counter-trade agreements. Under the counter-trade agreements, Nigerians were forced to buy goods and commodities at higher prices than obtained in the international market. The government intends to review the whole issue of counter-trade.

A lot has been said and heard about our position with the International Monetary Fund. Although we formally applied to the fund in April 1983, no progress has as yet been made in the negotiation and a stalemate has existed for the last two years.

We shall break the deadlock that frustrated the negotiations with a view to evaluating more objectively both the negative and positive implications of reaching a mutual agreement with the Fund. At all times in the course of discussions, our representatives will be guided by the feelings and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

It is the view of this government that austerity without structural adjustment is not the solution to our economic predicament. The present situation whereby 44 per cent of our revenue earning is utilised to service debts is not realistic. To protect the danger this poses to the poor and the needy in our society, steps will be taken to ensure comprehensive strategy of economic reforms.

The crux of our economic problems has been identified to centre around four fundamental issues:

1. A decrease of our domestic production, while our population continues to increase.

2. Dependence on import for both consumer goods and raw materials for our industries.

3. A grossly unequal gap between the rich and the poor.

4. The large role played by the public sector in economic activity with hardly any concrete results to justify such a role.

These are the problems we must confront.

ON FOREIGN POLICY:

Nigeria’s foreign policy in the last 20 months has been characterised by inconsistency and incoherence. It has lacked the clarity to make us know where we stood on matters of international concern to enable other countries relate to us with seriousness. Our role as Africa’s spokesman has diminished because we have been unable to maintain the respect of African countries.

The ousted military government conducted our external relations by a policy of retaliatory reactions. Nigeria became a country that has reacted to given situations, rather than taking the initiative as it should and always been done. More so, vengeful considerations must not be the basis of our diplomacy. African problems and their solutions should constitute the premise of our foreign policy.

The realisation of the Organisation of African Unity of the Lagos Plan of Action for self-sufficiency and constructive co-operation in Africa shall be our primary pursuit.

The Economic Community of West African States must be reborn with the view to achieving the objective of regional integration. The problems of drought-stricken areas of Africa will be given more attention and sympathy, and our best efforts will be made to assist in their rehabilitation within the limits of our resources. Our membership of the United Nations Organisation will be made more practical and meaningful. The call for a new International Economic Order which lost its momentum in the face of the debt crisis will be made once again.

Nigeria hereby makes a renewed request to the Non-Aligned Movement to regroup and reinvigorate its determination to restructure the global economic system, while we appeal to the industrialized nations to positively consider the debt plight of the developing countries and assist in dealing with the dangers that face us. We shall remain members of the various multilateral institutions and inter-governmental organisations which we belong to and do what must be done to enhance the membership and participation within them.

Fellow Nigerians, this country has had since independence a history mixed with turbulence and fortune. We have witnessed our rise to greatness, followed with a decline to the state of a bewildered nation. Our human potentials have been neglected, our natural resources put to waste. A phenomenon of constant insecurity and overbearing uncertainty has become characteristic of our national existence.

My colleagues and I are determined to change the course of history. This government is determined to unite this country. We shall not allow anything to obstruct us. We recognise that a government, be it civilian or military, needs the consent of the people to govern if it is to reach its objective. We do not intend to rule by force. At the same time, we should not be expected to submit to unreasonable demands. Fundamental rights and civil liberties will be respected, but their exercise must not degenerate into irrational expression nor border on subversion.

The War Against Indiscipline will continue, but this time, in the minds and conduct of Nigerians, and not by way of symbolism or money-spending campaigns.

This government, on its part, will ensure that the leadership exhibits proper example. Criticisms of actions and decisions taken by us will be given necessary attention and where necessary changes made in accordance with what is expected of us.

Let me reiterate what we said in 1984: This generation of Nigerians and indeed future generations have no other country but Nigeria. We must all stay and salvage it together. This time it shall be pursued with deeper commitment and genuine sincerity.

There is a lot of work to be done by every single Nigerian. Let us all dedicate ourselves to the cause of building a strong, united and viable nation for the sake of our own lives and the benefits of posterity.

Finally, I wish to commend the members of the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police for their mature conduct during the change.

I thank you all for your co-operation and understanding.

God bless Nigeria.


https://www.nairaland.com/693700/abacha-act-against-coup-plotters/4

Did I just waste my tym reading half of ur 1st post. #hisses#

why bother posting?

hardywaltz: Did I just waste my tym reading half of ur 1st post. #hisses#

finally, something i believe from the buhari camp.

and this kind of topic won't make front page.

[size=18pt]Babangida Plotted Coup Against Obasanjo, planned Abacha style "Fatal Illness".[/size]

Written by Naija Pundit on 15 October 2011.

Facts now emerging from a recently declassified wikileaks cable indicates that ex-military ruler, Gen. Babangida sent one of his known and trusted aides to test the waters with the Americans by suggesting that Babangida and his cohorts could orchestrate a coup against former President Obasanjo and failing that could arrange "an accident" to remove him from the scene.alt

The blatant exposition of such plans by Babangida 's messenger to former U.S. ambassador, John Campbell reveals the mind set of the former ruler. If he could think of such a scheme when an ex-military general was in power Nigerians may want to ask what type of scheme he is cooking up now.

Speaking through his adviser, Ukandi Damachi, Babangida had told the American ambassador that he and his ex-military constituency could be forced to "unleash the greyhounds" in reference to mid level officers currently in service and who owe loyalty to Babangida and his boys.

And for the first time, Babangida's messenger gave a clue as to who might be responsible for Abacha's death when he delivered a message from Babangida to Ambassador Campbell that Babangida and his constituency might be forced to arrange an "accident" or a "fatal illness" for Obasanjo to remove him from the scene should he press on with his tenure elongation gambit.

The thing to consider is if President Jonathan should continue to consume 'tea' in Aso Rock seeing as he has also initiated plans for a constitutional amendment for a single term for Presidents and governors.

It is not known how widespread this plot was, but in another recently declassified wikileaks cable, Nigerians may also recall that Atiku Abubakar also discussed Obasanjo's death with ambassador Campbell.



In response to Babangida's message, ambassador Campbell informed him that "coups and "accidents" are not acceptable options to the U.S."

Another interesting tidbit from this cable is the confirmation by ambassador Campbell of the long held suspicion that former President Obasanjo is older than his "official age" and suffers from black outs (bouts of unconsciousness) from time to time.

This was not the only time Babangida and his cohort considered a coup. This same Damachi also told former U.S. Consul General, Brian L Brown in a 2007 cable that both Babangida and former Minister of Defence, T.Y. Danjuma, plotted a "lightning fast" coup to topple the inexperienced Yar'adua regime as soon as Obasanjo handed over in 2007 having found Obasanjo too hard a nut to crack.

Also, the cables sensationally reveal that former Governor James Ibori was behind the 2007 attempt to send then governor Goodluck Jonathan to join his ancestors by bombing his Otuoke country home when it was thought he would be there thus eliminating him as a rival for the vice presidency. Apparently Ibori had made a deal with Warri Ijaws, promising them control over Local Governments in Warri in exchange for their help.

For the first time ever, NaijaPundit exclusively brings you the cables below;

¶1. (S) Summary: In an April 28 conversation with the Consul General, Professor Ukande Damachi, confidant to former military head of state Ibrahim Babangida, said Babangida and many other former general officers allied to him were furious at the manner the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) swept the elections and would seek to undermine the new administration. Damachi said that Babangida and his cronies would not stir now but would tarry until the Umaru Yar'Adua administration took over on May 29. At that point, there is a strong possibility that Babangida would reach into his bag of dirty tricks to undermine the nascent administration. Damachi's description of the political scene indicated problems ahead for the new government. End summary.

--------------------------------------------- Disgust and Frustration at the Conduct of the Elections Characterize the Nigerian Polity ---------------------------------------------


¶2. (S) In an April 28 conversation with the Consul General, Ukande Damachi, confidant to former military head of state Ibrahim Babangida, said Babangida was furious about the embarrassing conduct of the elections. A man with feelers in almost every major political camp, Damachi remarked there was unprecedented disgust and anger among the various opposition parties. These parties were meeting to plot strategy. However, he felt little would come out of the opposition harangue because they knew not how to electrify the crowd to the extent of turning a heretofore passive populace into an actively disobedient one.


--------------------------------------- Damachi Sees Post-Inauguration Intrigue ---------------------------------------


¶3. (S) Damachi painted a turbid picture of post-inauguration intrigue. In his scenario, Babangida would bide time until the new government of Umaru Yar'Adua took office and President Obasanjo finally left. Babangida wanted to see Obasanjo's exit in the worst way now, offered Damachi. This would relieve an albatross around Babangida's neck, because Babangida has been roundly criticized for being the author of Obasanjo's presidential ascent in 1999. In any event, Babangida was also wary of tangling with an Obasanjo whose wiles are a close match to Babangida's.


¶4. (S) The assumption percolating in Babangida's circle was the novice administration would be one of mediocre ability. It would likely stumble out of the gate, claimed Damachi. As the new administration flailed about, Babangida and Theophilus Danjuma, former Minister of Defense, would have an opening to foment discord, particularly in the military. If this scenario becomes how reality unfolds, then the Babangida group hoped for a lightning fast palace coup against a weak, isolated presidency. That would be followed by the institution of an interim government for six months to prepare for new elections. (Comment: After election, many, if not most, new administrations enjoy a honeymoon period where their miscues are attributed to inexperience and are forgiven. Not this time around. The Yar'Adua administration will be on probation. It will have to prove itself worthy. Instead of being forgiven, administration missteps will be seen as a sign of retribution for a stolen election. End comment)

------------------------------------------ Ibori and Buhari in Contact with Babangida ------------------------------------------


¶5. (S) Delta State Governor James Ibori, after heavily LAGOS 00000343 002.4 OF 002 financing upwards of $12 million for the national PDP convention, was angry that he was overlooked for the Vice-Presidency, averred Damachi. According to Damachi, Ibori stoked the April 21 attacks against Vice President-elect Goodluck Jonathan with the aim of eliminating him. Ibori broke bread and cut a deal with Warri-based Ijaw militants, in which he agreed to give them a share of local government power in exchange for a cessation of disruption activities against oil companies. A longtime associate of Babangida, Ibori was keeping in contact with Babangida on the above-mentioned post-inauguration scenario.


¶6. (S) Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari has been apprised of the gist of these brainstorming sessions, Damachi said. The question of who would head the interim government has been narrowed to either Buhari or Babangida, but most likely Babangida since Buhari would want to run for election, Damachi speculated. Damachi added that Babangida would be loath to preside over a temporary arrangement that would conclude in making Buhari the President in a more permanent setup.


-------------------------------- Odili's Star Likely to Fade, and Duke's Star Likely to Tumble --------------------------------


¶7. (C) Rivers State Governor Peter Odili, although delivering his wealthy state to the PDP on election day, has not been offered any post in the new government. Odili will return to private life, Damachi observed.

¶8. (C) Cross-River Governor Donald Duke still seethed from his rough treatment he received at the PDP convention. Damachi alleged that to force Duke to back down, Obasanjo showed the Governor a dossier of evidence of the questionable movement of funds overseas into deposit accounts and the purchase of real estate.


¶9. (C) Duke's political future would be ruined when people began to see the Tinapa project degenerate into a failure, Damachi postulated. Duke was already encountering problems with his successor, Governor-elect Liyel Imoke, on Tinapa and the strain it has placed on state coffers. Duke had leveraged so much money to fund Tinapa, the incoming governor would have trouble paying civil service salaries, let alone initiate any capital projects under his signature, averred Damachi. Imoke, not wanting to be blamed for Tinapa, might possibly appoint Duke as the special coordinator for Tinapa. That way, Imoke could keep Duke tied to Tinapa and avoid the blame for Tinapa's likely decline.


------- Comment -------


¶10. (S) Damachi gave a picture, if not completely accurate in its details, accurate in its general description of politicians simultaneously plotting with and against each other. What Damachi described was not actual plotting but could be deemed serious musing by some hefty characters. Because of whom they are their thoughts bear attention because, under propitious circumstances, they have the capacity to try to effectuate these thoughts.


¶11. (S) The transfer from one civilian administration to another on the federal and state level is something that has never happened here. In the best case there would be uncertainty, but that uncertainty has been exacerbated by the controversial electoral process. While Nigeria remains quiet and the call for mass protest is as yet unsuccessful, seasoned military politicians are biding their time. The post-inauguration period will be a trying time for the new government. End comment. BROWNE

http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=05ABUJA1323&q=abacha%20mohammed

Reference id 05ABUJA1323 aka Wikileaks id #36986  ? 
Subject Nigeria: Ibb Factotum Speculates On A Coup, President Obasanjo "accident"
Origin Embassy Abuja (Nigeria)
Cable time Wed, 20 Jul 2005 16:25 UTC
Classification SECRET//NOFORN
Source http://wikileaks.org/cable/2005/07/05ABUJA1323.html
References 05LAGOS706
History First published on Thu, 1 Sep 2011 23:24 UTC


This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
Hide header S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001323 SIPDIS NOFORN FOR AF CONSTANCE NEWMAN, AF MICHAEL RANNEBERGER, AF THOMAS WOODS FOR INR/AA FRANCES JONES, INR/AA JAMES SANDERS FOR S/P M. JAMES E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2015 TAGS: NI [Nigeria], PGOV [Internal Governmental Affairs], PREL [External Political Relations] SUBJECT: NIGERIA: IBB FACTOTUM SPECULATES ON A COUP, PRESIDENT OBASANJO "ACCIDENT" REF: A. A) LAGOS 706 B. B) ABUJA 1285 Classified By: E.O. 12958 DECL: 07/20/2015; 1.4(A,D)

(S) 1. Summary: Ukandi Damachi (protect throughout) , businessman and advisor to former Chief of State and current presidential candidate Ibrahim Babangida told me that President Obasanjo has alienated his natural constituency of ex-military men and risks being overthrown through a military coup or that there might be an "accident" that removes him from the scene before the 2007 elections. I replied that any such action would be unacceptable to the U.S. and the international community. He said that my recent speeches on the rule of law and the critical importance to Nigeria's democracy of the 2007 elections has "riled" the traditional military/business establishment, which is also deeply worried about the possible revocation of their U.S. visas because of our well-founded suspicion of their individual corruption. He also said that Supreme Court Lord Chief Justice Uwais was intimidated successfully by the President in advance of his decision upholding the 2003 elections. See comments beginning para 6.

(C) 2. Damachi had breakfast with me at his request on July 15 in the JO quarters I occupy when I am in Lagos. Damachi, a businessman whose fortune appears to be based on lucrative dredging contracts, has been close to Ibrahim Babangida since the latter became chief of state in 1985. He has been a contact of U.S. ambassadors and the mission since then.

(S) 3. Obasanjo has distanced himself and alienated himself from his natural power base, Damachi argued, by proposing that former military rulers be excluded from political power in Nigeria, by his failure to distribute "equitably" the profits of office to his supporters, and by his alleged desire to manipulate the political system so that he can stay in office after 2007. In addition to Babangida, Damachi identified Danjuma and Malu as leaders of this opposition to Obasanjo. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision upholding the 2003 elections, and Obasanjo's perceived continued efforts through the National Reform Conference to ensure that he can remain in office, Damachi said that it was increasingly likely that the retired generals/businessmen would "unleash the greyhounds", mid-level military officers who could mount a coup.

(S) 4. I reiterated what a disaster a coup against an elected government in Nigeria would be. Even if civil war were avoided, the country would return to pariah status, there would be negative implications for investment, and most international assistance programs would stop. Damachi said that Babangida's circle is aware of these consequences. Therefore, there was also the possibility that Obasanjo would suffer an "accident" or "fatal illness", perhaps similar to the circumstances of former military dictator Abacha's demise. I responded that Obasanjo is duly recognized as the chief of state, and that his achievements are major: ECOWAS, AU, a host of regional issues, now debt relief. Nigeria and Obasanjo are partners of the U.S. Coups and "accidents" are not acceptable options for the U.S. or the international community.

(S) 5. Damachi said that my recent speeches on democracy, the rule of law and the need for successful 2007 elections have been "noticed" and have "riled" at least parts of the military/business establishment. He also said that my statements about reviewing for possible revocation the U.S. visitor visas of those for whom there is a well-founded suspicion of corruption has generated considerable anxiety among the same group. He knew about, and referred to, Ambassador Obiozor's "urgent" meeting with me to discuss a specific visa case. Obiozor had wrongly linked a visa refusal to such anti-corruption efforts. (In this particular case, the visa applicant "forgot" to mention American citizen children.)

(S) 6. Turning to the July 1 Supreme Court ruling upholding the 2003 elections, Damachi said that the presidency successfully intimidated Chief Justice Uwais to render a favorable decision. The intimidation of Uwais had been so intense, Damachi continued, that the Lord Chief Justice had tried to resign. He had remained in office at the importuning of his northern supporters. Damachi said that Uwais and other judges were vulnerable on grounds of corruption -- and there had been a highly embarrassing press campaign accusing Supreme Court justices of malfeasance unleashed by the presidency.

(S) 7. Comment: Because we see Damachi from time to time, I assume he was freelancing, that our meeting was at his own instigation, not Babangida's. Nevertheless, it is extraordinary to hear a member of Babangida's even outer circle talking about the possibility of a military coup or an "accident", though Damachi has come close before with the Lagos CG (ref A). Therefore, I want to make a record of the conversation. I was at pains about the utter unacceptability to the U.S. and the international community of coups or "accidents". Damachi has known Babangdia for a long time: when Babangdia was chief of state in the late 1980's, he used Damachi as his link to the Nigerian labor movement and also to the U.S. embassy. But, Damachi has never served as a minister, and has been careful to keep a low official profile. Through all of the twists, turns, coups, counter-coups and elections in Nigeria since the end of the Biafra war, Damachi has never been jailed. Certainly Damachi's comments should not be taken as definitive of Babangida's own thinking. They may, however, reflect what is being said around him.

(S) 8. Comment, continued: the relationship between Obasanjo and Babangida is by no means clear. Ref. B reports Obasanjo's alleged mistrust of National security Advisor Aliyu Mohammed as one of Babangida's men. Nevertheless, they have been associates and coup co-conspirators for much of their careers and have been closely allied at various times to advance their tactical interests. Both, for example, appear opposed (at least for the moment) to Vice President Atiku's presidential aspirations. And, despite Damachi's suspicion, the President continues to state that he will leave office in 2007. Serious enmity between the two would seem more likely if Obasanjo did, indeed, seek to remain in office after 2007 than it is now.

(S) 9. Comment, continued: There continues to be no evidence that I have seen of coup plotting. It is also unclear how much influence retired military officers such as Danjuma or Malu retain over the military forces. it is true, however, that we know relatively little about the "greyhounds" or their ilk, and we do know that the military continues to be starved of funds and characterized by inept management. Nor, if Obasanjo dies suddenly or unexpectedly, should it be presumed that it results from malfeasance. We have reported in various channels that Obasanjo is older than his official age, apparently has diabetes, pursues violent exercise with little sleep, and blacks out from time to time. And, in general, Nigeria's standards of aviation or road safety are notoriously low.

(S) 10. Comment continued: Damachi's comment about possible U.S. visa revocation is evidence that this is an important way we can demonstrate our support for anti-corruption in Nigeria. We are also well-served by our inability to provide the names or numbers of those whose visas have been revoked. It is widely assumed that far more have been revoked than is the reality.

(S) 11. Comment, continued: I cannot comment one way or the other on whether or how Uwais was pressured by the presidency over the 2003 decision. However, it is nearly universally believed that the 2003 elections were deeply flawed, and the Court's decision has little credibility on the street. It is easy to ascribe to intimidation the rationale for the Court's decision.

(S) 12. Concluding comment: I see the significance of this conversation as that talk about coups, largely absent when I arrived in May 2004, has resurfaced. And, unless or until Obasanjo convincingly shows he is going to step down by supporting a successor in 2007, it is no surprise that people around Babangida (and many others) should speculate about possible dire scenarios. My bottom lines: I suspect Damachi's scenarios here reflect speculation -- or wishful thinking. But they are an indicator of the political atmosphere in this country as we move into an electoral season. CAMPBELL

What a revelation, no?

Why is this not on the front page nah? We should all read and discuss the matter!!
Mod, front page please, you can be sure this topic would drive traffic.

^
I agree with you. I read everybit of the article! I am sure all the lazy peeps that refused to read the article would gladly read if it was a s.ex.ua.l ordeal of say a " genevieve" or say a "lady gaga"

Someone that can't read would definately not be knowledgeable.
One good thing about reading is, you don't have to agree with the writer. You can read to even educate the writer if you feel you have a superior authority on the matter.

I guess the Moderator(s) are scared that, nairaland could be taken down if such an expose` gets to the front page, no?

^ I Understand that.

They would rarely put anything critical of Obasanjo or IBB on the front page.

Both are known for political assassinations of influential people, they can deal with NL mods. easily.

Excellent documentary on IBB:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6924381337553773948#

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKI1D2BS6Y8

What a shame that this man and OBj are not already in prison.

Arrest IBB immediately !

The day this evil criminal leaves the political scene would be the day Nigeria will get hope of progressing.

evil IBB

[size=22pt]On The Trail of Babangida's Billions[/size]
By Saharareporters 27/8/06
Aug 29, 2006, 09:30



Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida elicits mostly negative emotions from Nigerians, not only because of the eight barren years he spent as the nation’s military head of state and self-styled President, but more for what most consider his brazen audacity to think he can come back under a democratic dispensation after the harrowing experience his leadership put the nation through in those years (1985-1993).



Somehow, reading the political tealeaf right now, it would seem IBB is on collision course with history as well as his friend Olusegun Obasanjo, the current occupant of Aso Rock, a man reputed to have been installed by IBB himself in conjunction with a few others. The sudden exhumation of questions surrounding the execution of Mamman Vatsa and some military officers during IBB’s reign over their alleged roles in a supposed coup plot at a time IBB is campaigning to return to Aso Rock is eerily coincidental. In fact, the kind of welcome and official goodwill being bestowed on the widows of these men (led by Vatsa’s widow) by Aso Rock smacks of an attempt to scare Babangida off his mission. Add to that the arrest of Mohammed Babangida (IBB’s eldest son) by the EFCC on the rumored charge that he owns 24% of Globacom, Nigeria’s biggest telecommunications company, and one can begin to get a clear picture.



For the ordinary Nigerian, what all the above points to is the possibility of an intra-establishment war of attrition costing the nation dear, as it has always done. The politics of personality anchored on stolen wealth by the various factions have always been the bane of the nation. Neither Obasanjo nor Babangida are good for the nation, but in their own ‘moral’ circle, Babangida probably thinks he has good reasons to expect that Obasanjo would not be a stumbling block to his ambition based on some secret promise or peculiar rules by which these apex figures run the establishment. When all is said and done, these two look like the main characters that will dominate national political discussion between now and 2007 and it simply doesn’t look good for Nigeria.



A considerable section of opinion in the country sees Babangida as the godfather of modern corruption in government. They accuse him of institutionalizing the culture of “settlement” where every opposition to him or his policies were bought with state money or government position while he and his minions strip the nation bare. President Obasanjo in the early days of his administration (when all was still honky-dory between them) notoriously challenged anyone to provide documentary evidence of Babangida’s corruption before he can act on it! Naturally, this challenge drew a lot of ire from Nigerians who thought and still think Obasanjo is merely covering up for a man reputed to have worked with others to install him as President in 1999. They contend that Obasanjo does not need any evidence beyond IBB’s palatial home in Minna, which he couldn’t have built with all legitimate monies he’d earned as a soldier and public officer. They repeatedly challenged the President to release the Okigbo Panel Report that indicted IBB for squandering over $12 billion of state money. After a brave and spirited effort by The Punch newspapers to unsuccessfully get Obasanjo to release the report (especially as his Secretary to the Government, Chief Ufot Ekaette was also a member of the Okigbo panel), civil society groups finally released the report publicly. As expected, it was a gripping tale of corruption under General Babangida.



Nonetheless, outside the above, no one has yet investigated the many tributaries of the alleged Babangida’s stolen wealth. We hear stories about him owning the Triple Heritage Group, a supposed corporate behemoth involved in all sorts, but whose existence is more phantom that real. We hear of Mike Adenuga and a few other supposedly wealthy Nigerians and foreigners being his fronts; but beyond the tittle-tattle, nothing concrete has ever been presented to make the link. Yes, Babangida has amassed a lot of enemies in the course of time and, naturally, one would expect that there are real people collaborating with him to hide the allegedly stolen billions, but worryingly, nobody in the media, government or security agencies have come up with anything substantive to indict the man. We at Saharareporters are trying to buck this trend by presenting to Nigerians certain findings with regard to Babangida family’s connection to certain questionable dealings.



Our investigations began with a company known as Fruitex International London Limited, incorporated in the UK on May 14, 2001 (Company Number 04216189) with share capital of £100,000 (£1 per share capital) paid in cash by its sole Director, Mohammed Babangida (Aminu Babangida, another of IBB’s son joined as a Director last year). The company’s nature of business is recorded as “Agents in sale of variety of goods” and “Services to oil and gas extraction”. Though it lists one Susan Scott (a British citizen) as a Director, she’s indeed the Company Secretary. Every effort to trace the said Susan Scott has so far proved abortive. Nonetheless, Saharareporters got in touch with one Rod Johnson who claims to be the US representative of the company. Mr. Johnson operates from Texas, but from the word go, his modus operandi raises questions about his willingness to answer legitimate questions of public interest put to him with regard to his relationship with Fruitex International London Limited.



When we first contacted his Irving, Texas office, his female assistant asked us to leave a voicemail with a promise that Mr Johnson would get back to us the next day. We did, but he never got back to us. We tried again and were asked once again to leave a voicemail. But just as we were about to do so, Mr Johnson picked up the phone. We spoke to him about our mission and asked if he would volunteer information to us per his relationship with FRUITEX International London Limited, including his relationship with the Babangidas and the company’s interest in Irving, Texas. He stoutly declined comment on any of his transactions with the Babangida family, insisting that we present written questions by fax and promising to get back to us by Friday August 18, 2006 (after he’s spoken with his principals). A few hours later, his office confirmed the receipt of our questions by fax. But when we asked to leave a voicemail as well, the same assistant who’d always insisted we leave a voicemail curiously said Mr Johnson has no voicemail recorder in his office. Up to the time of going to the press, Mr. Rod Johnson is yet to return with answers to the questions faxed to him as directed.



Saharareporters also contacted one Tony Wilson who is the Senior Partner of Ashley Wilson, a firm of solicitors linked with the property recorded as the registered address of Fruitex International London Limited (No 53 Marlborough Hill, Flat 4, London NW8 0NG). We explained that we are investigating the activities of Fruitex International London Limited, requesting information on his and his firm’s “relationship with this company and its Directors, Messrs Mohammed and Aminu Babangida and also with Susan Scott who’s also listed as a Director and Secretary of the company”. We pointed out that we understand that certain questions would be governed by Client/Attorney confidentiality, but that what we ask for is information that he is in a position to give by virtue of the firm being registered as a private limited company. Up to the time of going to the press, Mr Wilson is yet to respond.



However, this obvious code of silence didn’t stop Saharareporters from further discoveries. We found that “Fruitex” is a generic name for several companies operating mostly in the oil sector, each with their own satellite heads answerable to the Babangidas. The jewel in the crown is obviously Fruitex International London Limited. Though the company’s balance sheet for the end of May 2004 claims a net asset of £400,000 - which is the basis of claiming Section 249A (1) of the Companies Act 1985 exemption from audit as a “small” company - Saharareporters can categorically confirm that at least since 2002 the company (referred to officially in Equatorial Guinea as FRUITEX GROUP) is the full owner of a deepwater choice oil block in Equatorial Guinea (Western offshore Rio Muni) estimated at $8.2 billion. Meanwhile, the company is passing itself off under UK laws as a “dormant company”, claiming that they have never traded and that the only transaction entered into the company’s accounting record is the issue of subscriber shares.



Yet, there are a plethora of companies all linked with Fruitex International London Limited and the Babangida family and all very cagey about divulging information about their operations that ordinarily should be available to the public. One of such companies is the Nigerian-based Fruitex Oil Exploration and Production Limited based at No 175A Moshood Olugbani Street, off Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The company lists its business as providing oil and gas field services and the house it is located is supposedly owned by Chief A.B. C Orjiakor, a specialist surgeon and one of those persons reputed to be amongst the “godfathers” of Anambra politics. In fact, it was Orjiakor and Emeka Offor that worked together to install Chinwoke Mbadinuju as governor in 1999. Emeka Offor claims it was Orjiakor that introduced the Bible-clasping Mbadinuju to him. Chief Orjiakor and Chief Boniface Madubunji are listed as the owners of the company, along with one Mohammed Ibrahim. Our investigations revealed that Mohammed Ibrahim, who owns 65% of the company, is indeed a fusion of Mohammed Babangida and his father, Ibrahim Babangida’s first names. This was confirmed by company insiders who spoke to Saharareporters as well.



Dr A.B.C Orjiakor who is listed as Chairman tried very hard at first through his representatives to deny any connection with Mohammed and the Babangidas, but eventually, Don Adinuba, who claims to be the Public Relations Officer to Orjiakor finally admitted the connection after those initial spirited denials. Chief Orjiakor was also arrested recently by the EFCC, but his representatives claim it was a witch-hunt instigated by Alhaji Aminu Dantata with whom he has a business disagreement. Rev Father Kukah was said to have secured his release, vouching for him as a good Catholic. But one of the conditions of his release is a ban on him traveling outside the country. Further investigations reveal a list of twelve Nigerian-based companies affiliated to Fruitex Exploration and Production limited through “a common principal”. These are ORDREC SHIPPING SERVICES LIMITED, ORDREC PETROLEUM LIMITED, ABBEYCOURT ENERGY SERVICES LIMITED, FIRST ARIES PETROLEUM LIMITED (which owns OPL License 235), ZEBBRA ENERGY LIMITED, ODFJELL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, SHEBAH EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION LIMITED, HELKO MARINE SERVICES LIMITED, REBS MEMORIAL SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, AMACH SECURITY SERVICES LIMITED, BERWICK NIGERIA LIMITED and HELKO NIGERIA LIMITED.



SHEBAH EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION LIMITED is representative of the very many tributaries of the Babangida family operations. Formed in 2001, it is listed as one of winners of the 2005 oil block licensing round. It is the operator of the Oil Mining License 108 offshore Nigeria and was recently awarded 75% of OPL 280 Nigeria and had indeed paid $21 million signature bonus – money they purchased through the CBN Dutch auction in December 2005. Documents obtained by Saharareporters indicate that the SHEBAH EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION which only has a record of three administrative staff as total employees wouldn’t disclose its share capital or shareholders. It also “declined to give any financial, general background or antecedent information or to reveal the extent of the company’s operations”. It declined also to name its principal bankers and its trade risk is recorded as “High”. In short, every kind of information that should be assessed by the public with regard to the company is simply not given.



When Saharareporters contacted one Joe Attueyi who is listed as the Managing Director of SHEBAH EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION LIMITED (with the same address, phone and fax numbers as Fruitex Exploration and Production Limited) to shed more light on his company’s operations and relationship with the Babangidas, he couldn’t answer many of the questions, including how his company was able to raise the sum of $21 million for the signature bonus. He was more concerned with how Saharareporters came about the information. Mr Attueyi, who is a well-known contributor on the Nigerian listservs circuit on the internet and a self-proclaimed Pastor of the Lamb of God Evangelical Ministry, was obviously panicked. He initially denied his company had any relationship or connection with the Babangidas, but when it became clear o him that we have some more incontrovertible information on the company’s operations, he opted to direct us to his “Chairman”, whom he promised would answer all our questions. His Chairman is no other than Dr A.B.C. Orjiakor.



Don Adinuba, the Public Relation Officer to Chief Orjiakor began by telling us Orjiakor could not be reached because he was abroad. When we pointed out that this was impossible as it would be a breach of the condition of his release by the EFCC, he backed down. When he realized he could no longer sell the story that Orjiakor was never arrested by the EFCC, he admitted he was arrested, but has since been released. He explained that the Chief’s business enemies were behind the affair. He claimed Fruitex Exploration and Production Limited and all the affiliated companies are solely owned by Chief Orjiakor and that there is no relationship whatsoever with the Babangidas or Fruitex International London Limited. But in a series of conversations that followed, Don Adinuba between dropping names and further denials began to paint a picture of an unjustly persecuted Orjiakor whose troubles he claims are not unconnected with Alhaji Aminu Dantata. He apologized for attempting to mislead us in the first place and admitted that yes indeed, there’s a relationship between Orjiakor, the companies and the Babangidas. He claimed Fruitex Exploration and Production Limited is a “special vehicle company” set up in conjunction with the Babangidas, as represented by “Mohammed Ibrahim”.



There is no doubt that the recent arrest of Mohammed Babangida and Dr A.B.C. Orjiakor is in connection with Obasanjo’s attempt to stymie Babangida’s mission of trying to succeed him as President, rather than a genuine anti-corruption effort. Nuhu Ribadu, Obasanjo’s Man Friday at the EFCC has recently began to pointedly accuse IBB of introducing the notorious 419 crime, including questioning the source of Mohammed Babangida’s wealth since he’s never worked in his life. Of course, Obasanjo is the ventriloquist, but there is no doubt that he is doing all this for self-interest. Ribadu has become bolder now in his public comments against the Babangida family and Saharareporters can confirm that members of the family and his associates are prime targets of the EFCC right now. IBB doesn’t look like he’s intimidated yet and is publicly still claiming to be on good terms with Obasanjo, citing the fact that the latter was one of the first to ring him and wish him a Happy Birthday when he turned 65 recently as sure evidence of their chumminess. However, Nigerians shouldn’t be fooled. Obasanjo and Babangida are heading for a showdown and Nigeria and Nigerians would be the grass that would suffer. The President has to retrace his steps now. He has to stop the witch-hunt immediately and return credibility to the anti-corruption fight by first looking within his own circle. For years now he’s promised to put the EFCC under a civil society oversight body to give it independence, credibility and keep it on the side of the rule of law; but rather than do this he’s turned the organization into his attack hounds.



Nigerians are not deceived, Babangida and Obasanjo are siblings of the same decadent establishment and both have nothing positive to offer Nigeria and Nigerians. But we operate a democracy and the rule of law. If the government is convinced of Babangida’s crimes and they have proof of such crimes, then let the man be hauled before a proper judicial authority and tried in an open and fair manner for these supposed crimes. Surreptitiously hounding him or attempting to intimidate him into backing down from his political mission won’t do.



What the government should concentrate on is to champion a credible electoral law, a level playing field and a political process devoid of rigging and corruption of any sort – a process that would unequivocally allow the true voice of Nigerians to be heard. If that is allowed, Babangida himself knows he has no chance. He’s posturing today because he knows that under the prevailing system thieves, riggers, murderers and blackmailers “win” elections and run the government. He’s only itching to do what he thinks Obasanjo has done and what he possibly assumes has been agreed between them.



Nigerians must not allow these two failed members of the decadent establishment to take us through another national trauma.




Source:Ocnus.net 2007
http://www.ocnus.net/cgi-bin/exec/view.cgi?archive=100&num=25794
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