Photograph — www.stuntfm.com

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arrested T.V mogul and African Independent Television (AIT) owner, Raymond Dokpesi over the N2.1 billion he allegedly received from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. Dasuki is presently in the custody of the EFCC. However Raymond Dokpesi claims the money he received from the office of the National Security Adviser was payment for the media and political campaign for former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election.

Through his lawyer Mike Ozekhome, Dokpesi claims he never did business with the NSA’s office. Then he changed his story stating that he received the money from NSA for Jonathan’s election campaign. It would be recalled that before the general elections in April, AIT allegedly engaged in what was considered a smear campaign against President Buhari, airing documentaries that questioned his credibility to bring change, particularly in light of the fact that Raymond Dokpesi is a card-carrying member of the PDP.

Is Dokpesi’s Buhari’s victim or is he a pawn in an attempt to hold the former administration accountable for alleged corruption? Sambo Dasuki was involved in the coup d’etat that ousted Muhammadu Buhari as president in 1985. Hence, his arrest was interpreted as a witch hunt. Taking cognizance of his smear campaign against Buhari before the polls, some might attempt to trivialise this trial as such. However, considering the lack of evidence to support Dokpesi’s claims, it seems evident that the EFCC has a justified case against him.

Sambo Dasuki, was arrested on Monday by the EFCC after being implicated last month in a $2.2 billion financial scam. A report indicted him of diverting money meant for the fight against Boko Haram into other affairs. Sambo Dasuki has begun to spill the names of other people allegedly involved, with Raymond Dokpesi and former Governor of Sokoto state Bafarawa the first victims.

Whichever way one chooses to look at these new developments in the case against Dasuki, it’s evident that the war against corruption in Nigeria has moved into second gear. This “no holds barred, no prisoners taken” approach by the EFCC is the new face of the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

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