Sun Tzu, one of the greatest strategists of all time, a philosopher and military general, advised in his book The Art of War, that the best way to defeat an enemy is to starve him. “When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled make them move.” This strategy can also work in fighting corruption, because corruption is a monster which if we don’t kill it, it will kill us.
Corruption, according to Wikipedia, is anti-social attitude awarding improper privileges contrary to legal and moral norms and impairs the authorities’ capacity to secure welfare of all citizens. Political witchhunt on the other hand, according to the Political Dictionary, “is a politically-motivated, often vindictive investigation that feeds on public fear.” It continues to say that “the term refers to the witchhunts in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, where many innocent women accused of witchcraft were burned at the stake or drowned.”
In recent times, politicians and people with political ambition have been subjected to trial for alleged corruption in various courts. The case of former Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state is still fresh in our memories. Rochas was said to have reported the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to President Muhammadu Buhari claiming “unjust harassment.” Rochas is not the first and will not be the last politician to claim “unjust harassment” by the EFCC.
Former Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger state too informed a court during a trial within trial that he is facing prosecution by the EFCC “because a politically motivated letter was written to the EFCC alleging misdemeanor of some officers during my tenure.”
Willie Obiano, former Anambra state governor, was arrested by the EFCC, few hours after he officially handed over to his successor, Governor Charles Soludo. The National Coordinator of APGA, Chinedu Obigwe, while speaking with journalists decried political witch-hunt by the EFCC. “When they see the real corrupt politicians joining APC, they would turn to toothless bulldogs. But when an opposition figure is involved they will be barking as if the person committed any crime whereas they are doing the evil bidding of their paymasters.”
Decrying further, he accused the EFCC of becoming the fifth columnist for the media trial of Obiano. “EFCC, as usual, has resorted to the use of fifth columnists for the media trial of Obiano. This is evidence showing that they are executing a politically motivated witchhunt plot against him,” he added.
Former South African president also informed his cheering supporters outside a Durban High Court that “I am innocent till proven guilty, but there are people who want to treat me like I am guilty.” Responding, the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa had claimed that there is “not a shred of evidence” that the decision of the government of South Africa to prosecute the former president was politically motivated.
The above list is endless, but the EFCC is not and will never be deterred in carrying out its mandate of ridding Nigeria of all forms of corruption, economic and financial crimes. The EFCC boss categorically stated that one of its new strategies in fighting corruption is facing corruption head-on. Abdulrasheed Bawa stated that under his leadership, the EFCC has changed its strategy from fighting corrupt people to fighting corruption itself. “In other words, our activities are now geared towards uprooting the various factors that enable the commission of economic and financial crimes, which is far cheaper than fighting the corrupt,” he said.
Truth is, corruption will always fight back, against all odds, using every tool at its disposal, by whatever means. What then is the best way to starve corruption, to stop politicising the corruption fight of anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria and to remove the notion of political witchhunt using corruption fight?
Collaboration plays a vital role in fighting corruption to a standstill. To collaborate means to come together and to confront a common enemy. One emphasis of the EFCC in the fight against corruption and all forms of economic and financial crimes is collaboration from all stakeholders. Fighting corruption together means eliminating the signs, threats, fighting and winning together. Nigerians from all walks of life should queue into the fight against corruption. Market women, parents, teachers, students, associations, civil society groups, agencies of government, departments and ministries, governments at all levels, international organisations should all key into the fight.
We must also believe that corruption is a monster that can consume us all if we don’t fight it together to a halt, not minding who we are as a nation, as a people, our political affiliations, regions, cultures and religions. Because corruption is no respecter of any of this, we must keep aside all our differences and fight corruption head-on together.
Abbas Abubakar Umar
Jabi, Abuja
