Is Nigeria’s Anti-corruption War Heading South? By Taiwo Adisa

In May 2022, the nation’s socio-economic and political system was shaken to its core when the news of the suspension and subsequent arrest of the then Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, hit the airwaves. Idris, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was initially arrested on allegations of financial misconduct bordering on the sum of N80 billion. The sum later grew to N109 billion following investigations by the anti-graft agency.

Idris, as his profile shows, had worked in the federal system for years and was at one time head of finance and accounts at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). He is the first defendant in a 14-count charge, including alleged gratification, abuse of office, and money laundering, and is standing trial alongside three others: his company, Mr. Godfrey Olusegun Akindele, and Mohammed Kudu Usman.

Since 2022, Idris has been having his day in court, and in line with the dictates of the Nigerian legal system, only the courts can decide when justice would be served. So, in practical terms, he is walking free despite the overhang of the financial accusation.

But the subject matter of this discourse is not whether Idris is guilty or innocent. The law of the land presumes that one is innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. The take here is really about the length of time the legal system devotes to the search for justice and the danger that such delay portends to societal wellbeing.

While EFCC officials and the commission’s lawyers were sweating to prove their findings against Idris, the man at the centre of it all is equally busy cooling off on the good side of life in Kano and Abuja as he likes. A video that went viral online recently showed him caressing a reptile in a damn-you-all pose. Even as he is yet to prove his innocence before the Mi Lords of the different courts, his conduct has continued to endanger the public, just as the allegation of graft levelled against him by the EFCC. At least we can estimate how many lives the N100 billion he allegedly looted can turn around if put to good use. His conduct amounts to someone deliberately leaving a hole in the roof of his inherited building during the rainy season or setting fire to the crops you had cultivated.

On July 28, 2025, the Managing Director of Kano Zoo, Sadik Kura Muhammad, was able to put out another fire ignited by Idris following the escape of a python from his residence in Kano. Before then, residents of Daneji and neighbouring areas, including Mandawari, Kabara, and Soron Dinki, had lived with their hearts in their mouths as news of the escape of a python from Idris’ residence in the area spread. The people were forced to keep sleepless nights to avoid untimely deaths from the wild animals. Before Muhammad’s intervention, it was reported that a lion, a crocodile, and other dangerous animals kept by Idris had created tension in the area, leading to loud complaints by the people. The Managing Director of Kano Zoo, who spoke on a local radio, had confirmed that “a python, a crocodile, and other wild animals discovered in the residence of the former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, have been evacuated to the Kano Zoo following a wave of panic in surrounding communities.”

He said that the python, which escaped from Idris’ home, was safely recovered and transferred to the zoo, while the former Accountant-General voluntarily released the other wild animals to the zoo. Speaking on the development, the managing director of the zoo said: “There is a law called the Wild Animal Law, which permits individuals to keep certain wild animals in their homes. These may include endangered and non-endangered species.”

He added, “When I heard about the situation, I verified that he had a license and that the lion was still a cub, posing no harm. But once such animals reach a certain age, they must be transferred to the zoo.”

The message here, however, is not the fact that Idris had a license to keep the wild animals, the story is that after his lacklustre tenure as the nation’s chief accounting officer, when he allegedly allowed the purse to leak so profusely, he has continued to terrorise the common man within his vicinity by keeping them in the arms way. And here is a man who should either be serving his jail term or should have been pronounced innocent by the courts. I am sure the nation would apologise to him if that were the case.

But the culprit in this situation is neither Idris, the accused, nor EFCC, the prosecuting agency. The legal system that we run as a country allows almost every suspect to go untainted after committing daylight robbery! Justice delayed, they say, is justice denied. That is the story.

The question you want to ask is why Idris is still an accused person more than three years after his arrest? Why do we keep the trial of former governors who are accused of financial crimes in courts for years, running to a decade or more? And what value does the nation derive from such prolonged trials? Remember, the cost of prosecution is being borne by the nation, and then, the accused can appropriate a chunk of the allegedly stolen wealth to engage the system in a prolonged dog

The Idris scenario in Kano, like that of many high-profile corruption cases being handled by the EFCC, the ICPC, and sometimes the Police, thus presents us with a clear need for a rejig of our laws. Is there a need for special courts to prosecute corruption cases? I say yes to that because it would ensure speedy consummation of trials and enable a free man to walk tall in society while the guilty is made to have his day in the jailhouse. But can we have that in no time? I doubt it. With many ex-governors landing in the senate, where the law would be made.

If the charges against Idris are anything to go by, his indiscretion in office has denied many innocent Nigerians life-saving drugs, good roads, and other good things of life. But the legal system still ensured he is out there, causing further danger to innocent citizens, years after his hand was caught in the pot.

Some time ago, I had written on this page that we may not need to put the former governors who are seen to run foul of financial crimes through trial because of the prolonged drama around such prosecutions. At the end of the day, more resources, probably equalling the size of the allegedly stolen funds, are wasted on prosecutions that eventually get the accused a pat on the wrist. Maybe we just find a way to collect a sizeable amount from the stolen sum and enter into a non-disclosure agreement with such accused, rather than continue in the courts for a decade and then get a justice that would, in true sense, amount to injustice. In a reformed system, Idris would have been made to refund at least two-thirds of the sum he is being accused of looting, and then the country would find a good use for that money.

Nothing indeed calls attention to the need to review our anti-graft laws more than the prolonged trial period and the fact that such accused can still stand in elections and hold offices because the law permits that they are innocent until proven guilty. If we look at what is happening these days, we will need to give huge flowers to someone like former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, who in the year 2005, was accused by former President Olusegun Obasanjo of complicity in the bribe-for-budget scandal that rocked the Senate and the House of Representatives. The man simply resigned his position and offered to clear his name. Though it took him years to do that, he eventually won the battle, and today, he is serving as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He even went back to school to earn a Ph.D. If the Wabara example were to be followed through, someone like Godswill Akpabio would not be occupying the seat of Senate President today, because the EFCC had commenced his prosecution over alleged money laundering the tune of N108 billion in 2015. It is not on record that Akpabio had discharged himself of that allegation.

In a ThisDay newspaper publication of May 24, 2023, a group by the name Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) alleged that Akpabio diverted the sum of N700 billion from the coffers of Akwa-Ibom State while he served as its chief executive. The group’s Executive Director, Investigation, Samson Tega, and Operational Manager, Stanley Ugagbe, at a media briefing in Abuja, also said that a few months after leaving office, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) apprehended Akpabio over allegations of looting of the Akwa-Ibom State treasury to the tune of over N100 billion. None of such allegations prevented the South-South lawmaker from serving as minister in the administration of the acclaimed MaiGaskiya, the late President Muhammadu Buhari, or occupying the seat of Senate President, the third most important office in the land as we speak.

So, rather than keep endangering the lives of the diligent investigators of the EFCC, the Police and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC), in carrying out investigations that may not celebrate their expertise, why won’t the nation find a better way out-fully operationalise the plea-bargaining option-and insert clauses in it to ensure that whoever is so indicted (even under the table) would not be able to hold office for at least ten years. Doing that, I guess, would help the course of justice for the accused, the bleeding nation, and detectives, who sacrifice so many hours digging out the buried crimes.

(Published by the Sunday Tribune, August 10, 2025).

Lest We forget: With Makinde’s Reform, Pensioners Now Have A New Lease Of Life

by InsideOyo

July 7, 2026

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju On Tuesday, June 26, 2018 in Ibadan, the Oyo State High Court corridors were filled not with lawyers in crisp suits, but with weary and worried pensioners clutching faded documents. Their faces told stories of decades of service in classrooms and council offices, now overshadowed by years of waiting. It was the hearing of a suit filed by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State Council, against the then governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and five other top officials of the state. The union had dragged the government before the High Court over ₦42.3 billion unpaid gratuities and pensions for retired primary school teachers and local government pensioners. The figure was staggering, but for the retirees, it was beyond mere numbers; it was meals they couldn’t afford, the medication they couldn’t access, the responsibilities they couldn’t meet, and the dignity they had lost. The union’s counsel, Lasun Sanusi (SAN), painted a grim picture of the pensioners’ plight before Justice Maruf Adegbola. He said: “Primary school teachers and local government pensioners are dying almost daily because they cannot afford medications for their health challenges.” The courtroom fell silent, the words echoing the desperation of thousands of senior citizens. Outside, the pensioners gathered in clusters, some leaning on walking sticks, others supported by their children. They spoke of promises broken, of agreements to pay arrears in instalments that never materialised. Representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress stood with them, amplifying their cries for justice. Speaking at a press conference, the then state chairman of the union, Comrade Gbadegesin Akande, said the decision to institute a suit against the governor and others was a consequence of the roguish disposition of the government towards pensioners’ welfare, which resulted in the hoary heads, who had invested their youthful years in the service of the state, being subjected to agonising hardship and excruciating denigration. He explained that their recourse to the courts became a Hobson’s choice following the failure of the government to attend to the series of letters that had been written, endless pleas that had been made, and even countless protests that the union had embarked upon to get the government to address its plight. But despite their resort to litigation, not much changed for the pensioners; pensions were still owed and gratuities were still unpaid. At another press conference jointly addressed by the Secretary of the NUP, Comrade Segun Abatan, and the Secretary of the Association of Retired Primary School Teachers, Comrade Tunji Ogunwale, on May 4, 2019, the duo lamented the plight of pensioners and accused the outgoing administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of owing N62.5bn in pensions and gratuities. Speaking at the press conference, Comrade Ogunwale said: “Today, Oyo State Government is owing us N62.5billion. That is the amount of gratuities left unpaid. I am personally being owed 35 months pension arrears. They are owing some of us 60 months, some 55 and some 40 months. It varies from eight to 60 months. He (Governor Ajimobi) has never paid anybody any gratuity in the last eight years. If we had not gone to court, that means he would not have deemed it fit to pay a dime for eight years.” So, for pensioners in Oyo State, up to May 2019, life was rough, tough and torturous. It was marked by hardship, uncertainty, and indignity. Many retirees who had served the state faithfully for decades suddenly found themselves struggling to survive, as their pensions and gratuities were either delayed or paid in fractions. The government owed billions in arrears, and the elderly were left to bear the brunt of financial neglect. Their plight became a recurring headline, with protests and court actions reflecting the depth of their suffering. For many of these senior citizens already in the twilight of their lives, with children already grown and independent, there was no steady support system. So, feeding became a major challenge and getting money to buy the needed medication for their ailments became a nightmare. Many retirees sold property to survive, and some even died while waiting for what was theirs. The situation robbed many of them of the dignity and honour of old age. They were forced into begging or, for those of them who could muster enough strength, taking up menial jobs as security guards or gatemen. But when Comrades Abatan and Ogunwale held the press conference in May 2019, little did they realise how close the pensioners were to the change they had always wanted. On the 29th of that month, while being inaugurated as the Executive Governor of Oyo State for the first tenure at the iconic Liberty Stadium, Engineer Seyi Makinde made a promise that no longer would pensions be delayed or paid in percentages in the state. He then donated his entire salary as governor to the state for pension payment. He also promised to clear the backlog of unpaid gratuities. That marked the beginning of the end of the woes that retired civil servants had been subjected to over the years. Governor Makinde kept his promise to the pensioners and began the implementation immediately. While full pensions were paid alongside workers’ salaries, the governor, in 2019, approved the release of ₦500m monthly for gratuity. This was later increased to N1bn monthly in 2024, N1.5bn in 2025, and eventually N3bn monthly in January 2026. Till date, over N25bn gratuity backlog has been cleared with almost 5,000 retirees benefiting. Makinde did not stop at that. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor approved the free enrolment of pensioners into the State Health Insurance Scheme, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare for senior citizens. The governor also raised the minimum pension in the state to N25,000. In addition, Governor Makinde approved that all pension increases since 2007, such as the 33 percent pension increase of 2010 and the consequential adjustment of 2019, be factored into the pensions of affected pensioners. With that, Oyo State pensioners became the highest paid in the country. The consistency in pension payment and commitment to outstanding gratuity defrayment have transformed the life of many a pensioner. For many retirees, the moment they received their gratuity was life-changing. Mrs Modupe Akinola, a retired teacher said, “The day I got my gratuity, I cried.” She added, “It was like a burden lifted off my shoulders. I could finally repair my leaking roof.” Equally transformative was the prompt payment of monthly pensions. Unlike what it was in the pre-Makinde era, retirees no longer have to wait for months to receive fractions of their pension. Salaries and pensions are paid side by side, restoring confidence and stability. “I can now buy my drugs without borrowing,” said Mr. Adewale Oladipo, a retired civil servant. “Before, I used to skip medication because I couldn’t afford it. That nearly killed me.” To express their gratitude to Governor Seyi Makinde for his commitment to their welfare, members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Oyo State Council, organised an appreciation rally in front of the Governor’s Office, Oyo State Government Secretariat in 2025. Speaking at the rally, the Secretary, Comrade Olusegun Abatan, said: "16 years before you took over the mantle of government in Oyo State, pensioners had no government that was sympathetic and empathetic to their plights. Gratuities were not paid as and when due, pensions of those times were withheld or paid in instalments and all entreaties to the governments fell on deaf ears, resulting in massive deaths of our members. "At one point, Oyo State pensioners were referred to as dead people and in actual fact, we were dying like fowls afflicted by Newcastle disease. When you contested for the first term, we just wanted anybody that would liberate us from the shackles of death and we went ahead to vote en masse for you. We did the same thing when you threw your hat into the ring for a second term....