A Scandal Scandalised

[MrVan]

NIGERIANS are still waiting for the security agencies to prosecute Farouk Lawan, the embattled chairman of the House of Representatives Committee that probed government expenditures on petroleum subsidy. It seems it would be a long wait.

From the police asking a suspect to return marked notes (key evidence) that he took a bribe, what had happened in the past few weeks is a scandalisation of the scandal itself. The security agencies have shown uttermost reluctance to proceed with the case, which at the beginning appeared simple. Lawan, acting for himself, or others, collected money to delist companies that had been in the report as violators of the subsidy fund. Now, there seems to be too many cases or none at all.

As we know it, Lawan made the request for the delisting on the floor of the House. What is missing is establishing the nexus between Lawan's request and an alleged $3 million bribe, of which $620,000 was given as the first tranche.

While reeling from the shock of knowing that the report could have been compromised, Nigerians were further dismayed to note that the security agencies were playing games. They did not secure the evidence required to prosecute Lawan. With all the hype about a successful sting operation, the suspect was not arrested nor the marked notes, the main evidence, found on him.

The operation left the police asking Lawan to produce the marked notes they would use in prosecuting him.  He promises to do so and the police appear stuck unless Lawan "cooperates".

What was the hurry in announcing the scandal without secured evidence? To prove they are "on top of the matter" periodic announcements were made about discoveries of another N11 billion and $10 million given as bribes to the committee and sundry interests. Mildly put, the case is in its infancy.

If the security agencies wanted to be taken serious, they knew what to do. They would have arrested Lawan on the spot, with the evidence intact. The rigmarole about the bribe and where the money is, are all part of a conspiracy to deny Nigerians the benefit of a report that could expose more wastes in government.

Why would the police not prosecute Lawan? He does not have immunity. He, by the police's account, admitted collecting the money. What is stopping progress on the case? Are the security agencies playing to a script, such that they are prepared to look dumb, so long as they achieve their objectives?

The case is serious enough that Lawan should have  been charged to court within weeks otherwise, those swirling the scandal should have lost their jobs for botching a sting operation.

 

 

Vanguard Nigeria