Reno Omokri, aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, in a statement at the weekend titled: “The real looters list that Buhari and Lai Mohammed do not want you to know about”, remarked that “A few days ago, the fallacious minister of information, the rightly named Lai Mohammed, whose first name rhymes with his life’s calling, released a so-called ‘looters list’ with six names of alleged looters.”
Omokri observed that after the minister was ridiculed by civil society, the opposition and the international community, Mr. Lai Mohammed hurriedly put out a statement tagging his list a ‘teaser’.
He contended: “When that lie refused to fly, the notorious fibber, Lai Mohammed, released yet another list yesterday, April 1, 2018.
“Coincidentally, April 1 is April Fools day and it was befitting that Lai released his list on that day because only a fool will believe the list he put together.
“His list did not contain even one member of the All Progressive Congress. If the list proves anything, it is that President Buhari, Lai Mohammed and their All Progressive Congress are not fighting corruption. Instead they are fighting opposition.”
Omokri thereafter declared: “I have taken the pains to produce a ‘teaser’ looters list of APC members who are collectively alleged to have looted over $2 billion (when you convert the dollar value of what they allegedly looted at the time they allegedly looted it).
“I challenge President Buhari and Lai Mohammed to explain why these men did not feature on their list and why they continue to remain in this APC government where they wield immense powers and influence, even over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that is meant to prosecute them.
“I further challenge President Buhari and Lai Mohammed to explain to Nigerians why they failed to reveal to Nigerians that President Buhari himself is a MAJOR beneficiary of the funds that the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, received from the treasury for the security of Nigerians.
“I assure Nigerians that Sambo Dasuki is not in jail for a crime he committed in 2015. He is rather being persecuted for a ‘crime’ he committed in 1985.”
The former President’s Aide subsequently declared: “Please find below the teaser list of looters.
“Note that this is just a teaser. Depending on the reaction of the Buhari led government, more names will be released.”
Rotimi Amaechi: Indicted by the Justice George Omeregi led Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry of looting ₦97 billion along with co indictees including a former army general.
Saminu Turaki: Alleged to have looted ₦36 billion; first charged before Justice Sabi’u Yahuza of the Federal High Court in Dutse, Jigawa State; currently facing trial before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba at the FCT High Court.
Timipre Sylva: A well-known financier and supporter of the APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Alleged to have looted ₦19.7 billion, was facing trial before Justice A. Y. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja. However, two days after President Buhari was sworn in, the new APC government WITHDREW the charges preferred against Sylva on June 1, 2015 and on October 3, 2015, the EFCC returned to Sylva, 48 houses seized from him during the administration of former president, Goodluck Jonathan in 2013 to him.
Murtala Nyako: Alleged to have looted ₦29 billion. Currently facing trial before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja
Senator Danjuma Goje: Alleged to have looted ₦25 billion; currently facing trial before the Federal High Court, sitting in Jos, Plateau State.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu: Alleged to have looted ₦15 billion with the help of 18 co-accused; Charged on March 3, 2010. The case continues to linger in court.
Orji Kalu: Alleged to have looted ₦3.2 billion; currently facing trial before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
Kayode Fayemi: Indicted by the Ekiti Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by former Ekiti State chief judge and the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Ademola Ajakaiye, of sundry financial malfeasance totaling over ₦2 billion.
Senator Joshua Dariye: Alleged to have looted ₦1.2 billion; currently facing trial before Justice Adebukola Banjoko at an FCT High Court.
Babachir Lawal: former Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Allegedly gave a ₦200 million contract to his own company from monies meant to look after Internally Displaced Persons. Has been sacked after protest by the opposition and civil society; has still not been charged; was allowed to be replaced by his own cousin.
Omokri noted that “By the omission of these names, the Buhari led Federal Government has vindicated Transparency International.”
He recalled that the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index shows that Nigeria is more corrupt today under Buhari than at any other time since Transparency International started keeping records!
“We have moved 12 places backward from 136 to 148. Yet this administration has the guts to accuse a government under whom Nigeria made her best ever progress on the Corruption Perception Index of corruption? We moved from 144 to 136 in 2014 under President Jonathan because that government fought corruption in court and not through the media,” Omokri declared.