“Come probe us,” NAFDAC tells rampaging EFCC, vows to investigate “corrupt” Bayelsa coordinator Peter Mayaki
By Rotimi Akinola
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) seeming unwillingness to stop defending itself against allegations of corruption has landed it in the path of Nigeria’s smoking-hot anti-graft body.
Over the past couple of days, NAFDAC has been in the news for the wrong reasons.
Former NAFDAC director of finance Ademola Mogbojuri, was reported to have accused current Director-General Paul Orhii of diverting the agency’s funds into his private pockets.
Mogbojuri, it was reported, said NAFDAC has generated at least N9 billion annually in the past half a decade. He said the agency declares less than 50 per cent of that.
Orhii said the claims are false.
The row took a next twist on Thursday after NAFDAC went on Facebook to further defend its image.
Some Nigerians stormed the agency’s Facebook page to ask critical questions after the agency posted two statements on the social media website in defence of itself.
While NAFDAC insisted that the “allegations are baseless, false, misleading and frivolous,” commenters said it would take more than “grammar” to dispel the doubts they have on the agency’s integrity.
“These terms ‘baseless, false, misleading, malicious and frivolous’ are the terminology used by corrupt Nigerian officials when they want to shield their nefarious and corrupt activities,” a commenter, Onome Osho, replied NAFDAC’s post.
“Each time an allegation of corruption is raised against them, rather than investigate these allegations they dismissed it by hiding behind these terminology. What stops the agency from investigating these allegations?”
“By merely dismissing these allegations without due investigation, NAFDAC is giving the impression that she is trying to cover some rot in the agency which they are very much aware of,” the commenter said.
NAFDAC replied to the comment by publicly inviting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to come look into its books.
“While you may not agree with our use of words, we will not stand in the way of investigating our activities or these allegations by the relevant anti-graft bodies,” NAFDAC said in its reply.
Another post on the page drew a very direct comment on alleged corruption perpetrated by NAFDAC top guns in Bayelsa state – Peter Inyang, Peter Mayaki, and Charles Nsikak.
“These persons mentioned are so corrupt with Peter Mayaki being the worst of them,” Onome Osho said.
“Mayaki have virtually become a licensed armed robber in the state. All he’s after is lining his pockets with money by milking the innocent and ignorant traders in Bayelsa state.”
NAFDAC responded that it will probe the coordinator and his syndicate should it receives a formal report regarding any corrupt practice.
“Please send us a formal report on the alleged corrupt activities of our officers in Bayelsa especially Mr. Mayaki as claimed,” the agency said.
“We have an anti-corruption unit and your report will be thoroughly investigated and acted upon.”
It is unclear whether NAFDAC’s own ant-corruption unit has probed the allegations of financial fraud leveled against the mother agency.
That would matter less now as the EFCC, which appears to have resurrected from the dead after Muhammadu Buhari became president, has been drawn into the fray.
Will the EFCC probe NAFDAC?
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