Jonathan Thrown Me Out of Office Despite My Service to Nigeria – Waziri

The Ex-chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Farida Waziri, has spoken of her distress at how, despite committing more than three decades to serving the Nigeria, she was booted out of office without a proper notification by the government.

Mrs. Waziri gave an exclusive interview to Zero Tolerance magazine, produced by the EFCC. The interview was part of events marking the EFCC’s 10th year anniversary.

“If you are removed like that, it has a tendency to scare some people. I wasn’t bothered that I left because my philosophy of life is simple, “what has a beginning has an end,” Mrs. Waziri said in an interview with the agency she headed for more than three years. “The manner of the sack was what bothered me. I have done a span of 35 years, fighting for my fatherland, I deserve some little dignity and respect. When you wake up and you see on AIT, Waziri sacked! NTA, Waziri sacked! Channels, Waziri sacked! That is the style I am talking about.”

“My predecessor’s case was even worse, but I do hope that the authorities will take note. Except you are removed as a result of gross misconduct, any other way you should be treated with dignity, respect for the human person,” she said.

Mrs. Waziri insisted it was the approach of her removal that she frowned at, not about leaving. “I knew I would one day leave. In fact, the handwriting was on the wall. I knew it was matter of time,” she said.

She said the negative impression accusing her of bungling several investigations, was more of a fierce media campaign against her stay in office, and said she faced intense interference in her work. She declined to give names.

“The enemies were many, ferocious; they kept on mounting the campaign of calumny, injecting the poison pen for three and half years,” she said.

“If you open the newspapers, it is Farida; if you open Saharareporters, it is Farida; if you tune the radio, it is Farida. It seems as if I was the worst civil servant in the history of Nigeria.”

The former EFCC boss was sacked in November 2011 in what seemed a controversial circumstance, ending a tenure that many Nigerians and foreign partners believed largely diminished whatever gains Nigeria had made in the fight against corruption.