The claim by a retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Senator Nuhu Aliyu, that the National Assembly is riddled with fraudsters, reverberates around the country. Aliyu, who is Chairman, Senate Committee on Security and National Intelligence, had caused a stir in the Senate on Wednesday when he threatened to mention some lawmakers he had investigated for their involvement in Advance Fee Fraud (aka 419) while he was DIG in charge of Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The statement is not only damaging to individuals legislators but the institution of the National Assembly. Such a disparaging comment made on the floor of the National Assembly is also damaging to the entire nation, as the National Assembly represents the entire country. As stated by the Speaker of the House of Representative, Dimeji Bankole; the allegation coming from no other person than a fellow lawmaker had called to question the integrity of people that populate the National Assembly.

But be let’s be honest with ourselves, are we really surprised by such allegation? Yours sincerely could name at least 2 or three people, widely suspected to be popular 419ers in the National Assembly, who by the nature of our home brand democracy, are presently referred to as, ‘honourable members’. The case of the late (Honourable?) Morris Ibekwe - who was arrested and detained by the EFCC for alleged fraudulent activities and later died in detention - and (Honourable?) Paschal Adigwe - who had also been accused of collecting $25,000 from certain individuals under the pretext of organizing a seminar that never took place - easily come to mind.

 A lot of people are disappointed though, that the Senate president, stopped Aliyu from mentioning names. That is the issue I am concerned about.

Some would argue that Senator Aliyu had merely abused his legislative immunity to make spurious allegations. As a senator, he is covered by ‘Privilege’, a defense enjoyed by legislators on the floor of the legislature. Such "Absolute privilege" has the effect that such statement cannot be sued on as defamatory, even if it were made maliciously; a typical example is evidence given in court.

In law, defamation – in this case slander - is the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressively stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government or nation. However, Aliyu – if a private person -could also claim justification if his statement is a fact. It is surprising that some would crucify Aliyu in the spirit of convicium contra bonos mores. Which term proposes that when such defamatory and injurious statements made was made in a public manner - as in this case, such public proclamation is unwarranted. In essence, that the truth of the statements was no justification for the unnecessarily public and insulting manner in which they had been made.

In fact his other colleagues has accused him of unnecessary penchant for making spurious allegations and  should not act like a coward but petition relevant agencies on such matters. Others assert that such fallacious reasoning tends to misguide the public.

The Senate President obviously displayed his experience and his maturity and did not allow Aliyu to call names on the floor of the senate for the simple reason that if he did so, he would be exposing the mentioned senators to public odium and ridicule, thereby killing their political career. This would be exploited by their political opponents to mount  Pressure on the law enforcement agencies to prosecute them and weaken their political base. It might even be used to disparage certain parts of the country. These are people that have neither been indicted nor prosecuted and convicted. Therefore in the eyes of the law, they are innocent. When you tar someone with the brush of criminality or malfeasance, it would stick in the eyes and in the minds of the public.

But Nuhu Aliyu is a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, so he must be conversant with this set of people (fraudulent lawmakers). He is to be commended for reminding us of an allegation he has so far voiced out publicly for the third time; that we have as legislators, honourable gentlemen, who are without a modicum of honour. He claims to have investigated them but could not prosecute them in his days as a very senior police officer, a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, just a hair breath away from the Inspector -general the oga pata pata, because the police were handicapped. How frustrating that must have been for him!

One wonders though, since the formation of the EFCC in 2000 – and Aliyu believes so much in the efficacy of that august body vis-à-vis the police – Why he never documented his findings, (I know the present crop of the Police high command would oblige him– Espirit de corps) and forward same to his EFCC all these 8 years.

More importantly, he is presently the Chairman, Senate Committee on Security and National Intelligence. 419 is a serious threat to the national integrity. Any presentation from his committee on the issue would be treated with all seriousness it deserves.

He is wrong is to hide behind his legislative immunity, and cast aspersions on the integrity of his colleagues. He should go on to do the right thing; present all the evidence he has accumulated during his policing career to the EFCC, and if necessary, investigate them again in his Senate committee. Let the law drag these shameless wannabes wailing and kicking, away from that law-making body. Only then would we take him seriously in this era of due process.

Robot  # 1 | 25.01.2008 20:03

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NWANZA  # 2 | 25.01.2008 21:21

The claim by a retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Senator Nuhu Aliyu, that the National Assembly is riddled with fraudsters, reverberates around the country. Aliyu, who is Chairman, Senate Committee on Security and National Intelligence, had caused a stir in the Senate on Wednesday when he threatened to mention some lawmakers he had investigated for their involvement in Advance Fee Fraud (aka 419) while he was DIG in charge of Criminal Investigations Department (CID). The statement is not only damaging to individuals legislators but the institution of the National Assembly. Such a disparaging comment made on the floor of the National Assembly is also damaging to the entire nation, as the National Assembly represents the entire country. As stated by the Speaker of the House of Representative, Dimeji Bankole; the allegation coming from no other person than a fellow lawmaker had called to question the integrity of people that populate the National Assembly. But be let’s be honest with ourselves, are we really surprised by such allegation? Yours sincerely could name at least 2 or three people, widely suspected to be popular 419ers in the National Assembly, who by the nature of our home brand democracy, are presently referred to as, ‘honourable members’. A lot of people are disappointed though, that the Senate president, stopped Aliyu from mentioning names. That is the issue I am concerned about. Some would argue that Senator Aliyu had merely abused his legislative immunity to make spurious allegations. As a senator, he is covered by ‘Privilege’, a defense enjoyed by legislators on the floor of the legislature. Such "Absolute privilege" has the effect that such statement cannot be sued on as defamatory, even if it were made maliciously; a typical example is evidence given in court. Honestly, how many of them including the DIG can prove the sources of the money they throw around. When you take a critical look into the background of our honorable Senator & Reps, one begins to see the problems of lifting the country of it's quagmires. Why not work on constitutional amendments that can make it a requirement to be a college graduate for Senators, and at least HSD for House of Reps?

Mikky jaga  # 3 | 26.01.2008 09:58

This Aliyu guy has been crying wolf for some time now. He should heed the call of the writer here and provide information that will get them nailed. Concealing information that will help to nail criminals is a crime itself. He better do something fast before he becomes an accessory.

RAYNOSA  # 4 | 26.01.2008 11:42

=NWANZA;4294983703>Honestly, how many of them including the DIG can prove the sources of the money they throw around. When you take a critical look into the background of our honorable Senator & Reps, one begins to see the problems of lifting the country of it's quagmires. Why not work on constitutional amendments that can make it a requirement to be a college graduate for Senators, and at least HSD for House of Reps? So in your own opinion you don't find graduates who are crooks. For your information you have to be educated to be a successful GUYMAN(419neer). Take Fred Ajudua for example he is a law graduate,look around you and find out how many graduate are into this thing. Ones education has nothing to do with this it is all about ones PRINCIPLE. As for the former DIG he has no moral justification to question those 419 in the house,unless he himself declare to the house how he made it,having so much money afterall how much is the take home pay of an officer. To is a case of KETTLE calling POT black.

ozoodoo  # 5 | 26.01.2008 13:31

My take on this issue is that Senator Nuhu Aliyu should be allowed to name names of the "419ers" in the Senate and House of Rep. Whoever has anything incriminating on Senator Nuhu Aliyu should be free to make same public. That is the best way to move forward. Things are so bad in our obodo country that even the wife of Ajudua, the Don of 419ers, wanted to contest for the senate in the last election.

Bunch17  # 6 | 26.01.2008 13:54

=ozoodoo;4294983795>My take on this issue is that Senator Nuhu Aliyu should be allowed to name names of the "419ers" in the Senate and House of Rep. Whoever has anything incriminating on Senator Nuhu Aliyu should be free to make same public. That is the best way to move forward. Things are so bad in our obodo country that even the wife of Ajudua, the Don of 419ers, wanted to contest for the senate in the last election. He should also be willing to suspend his immunity in the event that those he named decide to sue him for slander. The anti corruption fight is not something that some i diots should sensationalise.

akuluouno  # 7 | 26.01.2008 14:15

Bunch 17, I say Gbam:D:D to your intervention. The fight against corruption should not be trivialised and unnecessarily sensationalised. As a former policemen, he knows what to do rather than peddling blackmail in the floor of the senate. I have earlier suggested that persons who disclose fraudsters and their loot be given up to 30 per cent of the total sum in the currency the loot was found. This was how India solved the Indian Factor, the exact brother of Nigeria Factor. Aliyu should work for the speedy passage of such an act so that he will become a multi-millionaire easily and stoppeddling blackmail:idea::idea::idea::idea::idea:

NWANZA  # 8 | 26.01.2008 20:36

=RAYNOSA;4294983778> So in your own opinion you don't find graduates who are crooks. For your information you have to be educated to be a successful GUYMAN(419neer). Take Fred Ajudua for example he is a law graduate,look around you and find out how many graduate are into this thing. Ones education has nothing to do with this it is all about ones PRINCIPLE. As for the former DIG he has no moral justification to question those 419 in the house,unless he himself declare to the house how he made it,having so much money afterall how much is the take home pay of an officer. To is a case of KETTLE calling POT black. Nigeria desperately need academically groomed graduates especially Lawyers, Accountants, and philosophers to navigate the rough waters of our own creation. We need sharp minded individuals that can find traps hidden in big grammar which the congress seem not to detect. There is no doubt 419 Kingpins are educated people, and in absence of real jobs in Nigeria, the mind becomes the tool for the devil to deploy scams & frauds of all types. The same sharp mind when employed and used to solve our problems, can actually move mountains. Look at the youth flooding in and out of our Universities, and no job waiting for them out there. They use their mind for scams, or go nuts and become thieves and murderers out of frustration. These military, Chiefs, and Alhaji's in congress will never get the job done.

RAYNOSA  # 9 | 27.01.2008 10:01

=NWANZA;4294983915>Nigeria desperately need academically groomed graduates especially Lawyers, Accountants, and philosophers to navigate the rough waters of our own creation. We need sharp minded individuals that can find traps hidden in big grammar which the congress seem not to detect. Dear Nwanza, From your response i know were you are going to and coming from,One thing is for sure 99.9% of our politicians are fraudsters and scamist. You become a fraudster and a scam practioner when as a politician you fail to deliver on your promises to the electorate. These people are duping us all.NO DOUBT As for the QUOTE above i sincerely don't believe that educational level(Graduate) or being proffesional have anything to do with.A thief will always remain a thief no matter his/her background. NWANZA:Take the case of the Late Senator that died fighting in support of corruption during the Etteh contract scandal.Was this guy not a trained medical doctor. The truth is our politicians have sold there souls and conscience to the devil. The only way forward is the day we begin to vote and stand for people with ideals and principles.