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RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 7715
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
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RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001834 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2017 
TAGS: PGOV ECON KCOR KCRIM SNAR NI
SUBJECT: EFCC CHAIR ON ADMINISTRATION'S ANTI-CORRUPTION 
CAMPAIGN 
 
REF: A. ABUJA 1741 
     ¶B. ABUJA 1255 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs Robert Gribbin for reasons 1.4. (b & d) 
. 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY.  EFCC Chairman Ribadu told Charge on August 
16 that Yar'Adua is committed to investigating corrupt former 
officials to send a message that no one is above the law. 
Despite GON support, however, Ribadu maintains that the EFCC 
is dependent on international donors to fulfill basic needs 
of the service.  Ribadu described recent moves by the 
Attorney General to reign in the powers of the EFCC as 
"absurd," alleging that former Governor Ibori, now under 
investigation in the U.K. and Nigeria, is behind the plot. 
Yar'Adua's backing down on the AG's request for greater 
oversight of the EFCC could be a sign of his commitment to an 
anti-corruption agenda; however, some fear it is simply a 
product of a decision-making style that relies most heavily 
on whomever he has spoken to last.  Ribadu also offered his 
opinion on acting Inspector General of Police Okiro, making 
it clear there is no love lost between the two.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) Charge paid a courtesy call on Economic and Financial 
Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Malam Nuhu Ribadu on August 
16 to discuss the Yar'Adua administration's anti-corruption 
efforts and recent moves by the Attorney General to reign in 
the powers of the EFCC (Ref. A).  Ribadu described the GON's 
anti-corruption efforts since the establishment of the EFCC 
in 2003 as a "quiet revolution."  The Yar'Adua government, he 
contended, is committed to investigating corrupt former 
government officials as a form of deterrent to those 
currently in office and to send a message that no one is 
above the law.  He said Yar'Adua had promised not to 
interfere in EFCC investigations. 
 
FORMER GOVERNOR IBORI SCHEMES AGAINST EFCC 
------------------------------------------ 
¶3. (C) Ribadu called the recent move by the Attorney General 
(AG) to gain control over EFCC cases and prosecutions (Ref. 
A) "absurd," alleging that the AG "allowed himself to be 
used."  Ribadu maintained that the plot was hatched by former 
Governor James Ibori (Delta State) in response to the EFCC's 
role in an investigation by London Metropolitan Police which 
resulting in the freezing of $35 million of Ibori's assets. 
(COMMENT: Internet reporting site Sahara Reporters ran a 
story on August 11 which correlates fact-for-fact with 
Ribadu's statements to the Charge.  The "security source" 
cited by Sahara Reporters may, in fact, be Ribadu himself. 
END COMMENT.)  According to Ribadu, Ibori reached out to 
several other former governors currently under investigation 
and paid the Chief Publisher of "This Day" newspaper, Nduka 
Obaigbena, to lobby Yar'Adua for the change.  The current AG 
and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakar, an attorney who 
has represented former Vice President Atiku and several of 
the former governors now battling corruption charges, was 
reportedly glad to participate in the plan. 
 
¶4. (C) Obaigbena and the AG then reportedly reached out to 
the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), led by Olisa Agbakoba, to 
turn the issue into a question of constitutional mandate. 
The NBA allegedly drafted the letter from the AG requesting 
that the President give the AG authority over the 
investigations and prosecutions of the EFCC and other 
anti-corruption bodies.  The letter from the AG to Yar'Adua 
was timed to coincide with Ribadu's trip to his home in Yola 
State.  Upon hearing the news, Ribadu says he returned to 
Abuja and met with Yar'Adua, making his case for continued 
independence.  Yar'Adua overturned his previous decision, and 
public statements were made backtracking on the announced 
placing of EFCC activities under the AG. 
 
EFCC DEPENDENT ON INTERNATIONAL DONORS 
-------------------------------------- 
¶5. (SBU) Ribadu thanked the USG for support of the 
Commission, noting that officers have attended approximately 
30 training sessions in the U.S. since the Commission was 
established.  He stressed, however, that the EFCC remains 
dependent on outside support to fulfill fundamental needs of 
the service.  He hopes U.S. support will continue in the 
future, and noted that international donor support has made 
possible the establishment of the EFCC's regional offices. 
 
ABUJA 00001834  002 OF 002 
 
 
Ribadu outlined EFCC plans for building cross-cutting 
national databases for information sharing within the police 
and security services, as well as an EFCC forensics lab 
currently under construction. 
 
YAR'ADUA'S COMMITMENT - RHETORIC OR ACTION? 
------------------------------------------- 
¶6. (C) COMMENT.  It appears based on the rhetoric emanating 
from the President's office, as well as what we're hearing 
from contacts both within and outside the GON, that Yar'Adua 
may well be strongly committed to improving the fight against 
corruption.  What is less clear, however, is whether he has 
the strength of character to take on the big boys of corrupt 
Nigerian politics.  That Yar'Adua initially agreed to the 
EFCC submission and then later changed his mind, could be 
indicative of his willingness to hear opposition and make a 
stand.  On the other hand, it could just as easily be a sign 
of what we have heard described as "serial decision making" 
-- meaning that he is influenced most by whomever has spoken 
to him last.  That the EFCC will remain in charge of their 
own investigations and prosecutions is a positive outcome, 
but the motivations behind Yar'Adua's decisions are just as 
important as the outcome.  Whether he has the personal 
strength to carry out his plans in the face of opposition 
will be the true test of his administration. 
 
¶7. (C) COMMENT CONTINUED.  On the way out, when INL Officer 
asked Ribadu if he thought Acting Inspector General of Police 
(IGP) Mike Okiro would be confirmed, the EFCC boss replied 
emphatically, "I hope not!"  Okiro, it will be remembered, 
almost immediately upon taking office accused his 
predecessor, Sunday Ehindero, of corruption and malfeasance 
(Ref. B).  Although the scandal has dissipated and Ehindero 
ostensibly exonerated, Ribadu is an Ehindero protege, and the 
EFCC was uncharacteristically silent while Ehindero was being 
investigated.  The two served together when Ehindero was 
Lagos State Police Commissioner in the mid-1990s and Ribadu 
allegedly was the former IGP's pick to succeed him.  Rumors 
abound that Yar'Adua may retire Okiro and the entire Nigerian 
police force leadership and Ribadu may still covet the IGP 
position.  Even if not, there clearly is no love lost between 
him and his mentor's antagonist.  END COMMENT. 
GRIBBIN