Diezani’s Crony, Omokore, Arrested Again By EFCC

Jide Omokore, a crony of Diezani Alison- Madueke, Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum has been arrested by the EFCC again. Omokore is the Chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited and a director in Seven Energy International Limited. Atlantic Energy was one of the greatest beneficiaries of controversial approvals by Allison-Madueke during the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan. 

Disclosing the re-arrest of Omokore on Thursday was the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu. He also vowed that the Agency would not relent in its fight against corruption. He said “We are here (EFCC) due to divine intervention. “I am here to tell you that there is impunity in the country, there is corruption and abuse of office. I am here to tell you that the fight against corruption is not about me, it is about the whole of Nigeria. We are all stakeholders in this business. I am here to tell you that corruption is fighting back. I need your support more than before because people steal our commonwealth and they hire lawyers to fight us. I know that in every sphere of life, we have the good, the bad and the ugly. I am not saying we don’t have bad ones among us in the EFCC. I have realized that people are fighting us both from within and outside. But we need to be committed to whatever we are doing. I am not saying that we are correct all the time. I am not averse to criticism. I always welcome criticisms. When you look back, it will help the system. Now, we have a gang that is really fighting us. We have a gang of about 133 lawyers that are fighting back in the system. They are fighting everybody. If care is not taken, this fight will turn into a fight between the haves and have-nots, which is why I want everybody to support us. Most of these senior lawyers don’t care. If you don’t have money, they can’t take your brief. They use the proceeds of corruption to do their business. Otherwise why should someone carry 34 SANs to court? What sense does it make? And then you discover that only one stands before the judge. They are going for the money. This story is real. If you don’t have money, they won’t work for you. What I am saying is that Nigerians should join us in the fight because corruption is fighting back."

"I am ready to fight to finish because if there is any reason, it is an honour that when I die, people will say that Magu died fighting corruption. “If there is any other cause that I prefer, I prefer to die fighting corruption. That is why we are seeking for support so that we will be on the same page, especially now that it is fighting back. We are fighting for a better Nigeria so that our children and grand children will have a better Nigeria because many of us were lucky when we were in the university. That opportunity does not exist again but we have a chance. If things can be done properly, you will see the changes."