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Nigeria: Waziri - On the Hot Seat
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This Day (Lagos)
16 May 2008
Posted to the web 16 May 2008
Paul Ohia
Lagos
On her way to being a Catholic nun where she would have devoted her entire life to chastity and poverty, Mrs. Farida Mzamber Waziri made a U-turn from Queen of Holy Rosary Convent in 1963 and discovered an essential life of sacrifice in secular life.
She ended up in the Police Force and today all eyes are on her as she takes over at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria's foremost anti-fraud agency. She replaces Nuhu Ribadu, an anti corruption czar who courted many enemies as well as admirers in his days.
Believers in predestination would say that this could be the consummation of Waziri's training at the nunnery.
In the force she had a reputation as a "no nonsense" officer who rose from the ladder to enviable position of Assistant Inspector General before retiring. She held several appointments in the police force including headship of the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) and Interpol.
Speculations and Expectations
The extent she will bring the no-nonsense attitude to bear in her new posting will be the focus of pundits in the days ahead. Critics say her appointment was made at the behest of some corrupt politicians who wanted Ribadu out at all cost.
Waziri would be expected to continue the arraignment of some former political office holders and also identify new corrupt office holders.
It is believed in some quarters that since the removal of Ribadu, the EFCC has been incapacitated by some powerful people in and out of government especially those under trial.
Accusing fingers point at some sitting and former governors as the movers of Waziri's appointment.
How she may go
She headed the police Anti-Fraud Unit between 1996 and 1999 during which Ribadu and the EFCC Director of Operations, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, were trained by her.
She is a tough and disciplined anti-graft crusader and a very hard worker, those who know her say.
She will be expected to restore public confidence in the EFCC and would seek to work closely with international agencies and governments engaged in reducing fraud and corruption.
It is said that Waziri has not engaged in partisan political activity and has a deserved reputation for being unafraid of pursuing those in her sights.
She is well thought of in police circles in Nigeria as well as among the lawyers and judges with whom she works.
On the issue of Advanced Fee Fraud aka 419, she has done enough research and written a book on this titled, Advance Fee Fraud, National Security and the Law and this would be her bible while fighting the cankerworm.
She may prove critics wrong and wage an all out war on corruption, though analysts say she may not be well desposed to chasing alleged corrupt officials down to airports like his predecessor.
If confirmed by the Senate, Waziri will also be expected to prosecute those who might be indicted by the various committees in the Senate and House of Representatives and analysts believe former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, may come under her prosecutorial hammer if indicted, to take attention away from the former governors.
Rise from Rank and File
The new EFCC chairman was born in Gboko, Benue State on July 7, 1946. She started her education at Dawn School, Gboko from where she proceeded to St. John's Primary School, Gboko and then Queen of The Holy Rosary Convent also in Gboko.
Waziri later joined Federal Training Centre, Kaduna from where she gained admission to the University of Lagos and graduated with a degree in Law in 1992. She went to the Nigerian Law School and became a Barrister at Law.
At present, she has two Master's degrees in Law and Strategic Studies respectively.
Since her enlistment in the police in 1966, the new EFCC chairman has attended more than nine training courses to sharpen her acumen in crime fighting. She has participated in special branch course, basic and advanced, detective counter espionage course, subversion and sabotage course, administrative and staff college of Nigeria higher management courses and recently War College Abuja where she carried out a research in Advance Free Fraud phenomenon in Nigeria.
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Her dissertation in this field resulted in the publication of a book.
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