Media Trial: Judging A Book by Its Cover

By Abdurrahman Abubakar

Judging a book by the cover most at times gives a bad deduction. The thorough read might have made one understands it better. It is similar with jumping into conclusion on allegations against fraud, mismanagement of public funds in Nigeria by anti-graft agencies like EFCC, ICPC, without a patience wait to the end of the investigations and found someone guilty or otherwise by the competent court of law.

Nigeria practices democracy and the rule of law is supreme; hence the fundamental human rights of any persons being investigated should be respected and dignity be maintained. It is pertinent to note that the way and manner news filtered around on allegations on fraud, mismanagement, fraudulent intent should be cautious especially on social media that sometimes the headlines are scary.

A reference of the case of former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for corruption allegations back in 2019. Later the EFCC filed a corruption charges, which includes Malabu oil scandals, money laundering, among others.

Nearly three years later, (2022) the court in England and Wales ruled that there was no evidence of fraud in the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL. 245 in the Malabu oil deal. Only God knows the kind of trauma the former Attorney General Mohammed Adoke SAN passed through during the case and supposedly media trial on the Malabu oil deal case.

Why do people rush to deduce that persons under investigations are criminals, looters? They are suspects of fraud, until the competent court of law finds them guilty.

Media trial should be relegated and focus on the happenings surrounding the investigations; making updates, until the competent court found the suspect guilty or otherwise.

The recent happenings at the EFCC is another case study, though with a different outlook.
Initially, Halima Shehu the Coordinator of the National Social Investment Program Agency (NSIPA) was suspended by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and immediately after the suspension a huge allegation was labelled against her of moving N44 billion from the NSIPA account to some suspicious accounts within the last four days of December, 2023.

Several headlines largely on social media and online media on her appearance at the EFCC that she had committed an offence and with fraudulent intent.

For the case of Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation who was suspended confirmed that the leak memo of seeking transfer of N585m to personal account was from her and had claimed that the N585m payment was meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states, describing the allegations against her as baseless.
The Media Assistant to the Minister, Rasheed Olarenwaju, said in a statement that it was legal within the civil service for such payments to be made into private accounts of staff members, especially project accountants.
The rules of engagement of the civil servants has prohibited transfers to personal accounts from the government coffers. May be the Media aid is ignorant of this postulation. Though, the law says ignorant of the law is not an excuse.

Despite the fact that she had admitted that the memo was from her but still the case is under investigation, no one could judge but the competent court of law.
Another case of a contractor Mr. James Okwete, was arrested by the EFCC to investigate an allegation of N37 billion fraud. There was no any report from the EFCC or its spokesman that stated that the contractor has a link with the former Minister Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk but some cross section of largely social media suggested that the former Minister has a link with the contractor whom she denied even meeting or knowing him; to the extent of suggesting even how the money was spend and transferred. All these were attributed to the sources not the EFCC spokesman or its chairman.

According to the former Minister’s comment Sadiya Umar Farouk, “There have been a number of reports linking me to a purported investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the activities of one James Okwete, someone completely unknown to me. James Okwete neither worked for, nor represented me in any way whatsoever. The linkages and associations to my person are spurious,” she said.

“While I resist the urge to engage in any media trial whatsoever, I have however contacted my Legal Team to explore possible options to seek redress on the malicious attack on my person.”

Another media trial suggested that the former Minister Sadiya Umar Farouk shunned the invitation by the EFCC; but the EFCC spokesman refuted that and further explains why she is not at the headquarters at the first day expected.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said that the former minister had sent a letter explaining her inability to attend due to health challenges.

“She did not decline the EFCC’s invitation; she provided reasons for her absence. Furthermore, her lawyer visited the commission to explain why she couldn’t attend,” the EFCC spokesman said.

The Former Humanitarian Minister during President Muhammadu Buhari, Sadiya Umar Farouk was at the EFCC headquarters for nearly 12 hours answering questions on clarification about the allegations against a contractor and some agencies under her watch then.

Though, there were headlines that said she was arrested and detained which is another episode of media trial.
No doubt, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be commended and has done the needful by suspending the head of the National Social Investment Program (NSIPA) Halim Shehu and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, this is to allow the investigations go unhindered and uninterrupted.

In another episode of media trial back in 2020, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk was accused of hiding the covid-19 palliatives meant for the poor. The media then was dominated with different kind of headlines in that regards, especially the new media.

Until the End SAR’s protest that triggered youth to break the stores in some states that’s when Nigerians realized that the former Minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk is innocent; had never hide any palliatives meant for the poor.
After the story broke out, she had forgiven those that alleged that she hides palliatives.

“I am aware many people have made various spurious allegations and accusations against my person and my ministry over the way we distributed Federal Government palliatives to cushion the effect of COVID-19. “Now that they have realized their mistakes, l will only pray to God to forgive us all,” she maintained.

Several persons had passed through similar routes, some convicted others appeared not guilty and freed by the competent court of law.

Note that nobody should be spared of investigation if there is an allegation against him or her; but their rights of hearing and dignity should be respected and only competent court of law could find someone guilty of a financial crime or any other crime.

The point here is, don’t judge the book by its cover, hence, media trial should be ignored till the allegation against any public office holder was proven by the competent court of law.

Abdurrahman Abubakar is a freelance journalist in Kano and could be reached at No 14 Sharada Opposite Kwanar Freedom.