Philip Shaibu, the Majority Leader in the Edo House of Assembly, has expressed joy in the change in leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying that the former leadership was unjust, letting ‘looters’ of the Nigerian treasury go unpunished.

“I am a witness to this fact; I was arrested and detained unjustly for two days by the EFCC because of my birth certificate and primary school certificate. Unfortunately for them my birth certificate was the original given to me in Kaduna territory, as it was then called.”

Mr. Shaibu said in Benin on Monday that the acting EFCC chairman should redirect and reposition the commission to meet the vision for which it was established.

He said that the past leadership of the commission allowed the EFCC to become a tool to intimidate those that were not loyal to the system adding that few individuals, who have looted the treasury are walking freely, while others have refunded a little of what they stole in the name of plea-bargain.

He said that the expectation and vision of the then president in establishing the EFCC and the clamour by Nigerians to eradicate corruption and checkmate political leaders have been defeated. He urged the EFCC boss to correct and improve upon the shortcomings of the former EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu, adding that Mr. Ribadu is the best chairman since the inception of the commission.

Mr. Shaibu also said that Edo state lawmakers are taking steps to check corruption in the state.

“Every Thursday and Fridays, lawmakers go out to supervise various ministries under their jurisdiction not because they are looking for contracts but scrutinising accounts and making sure records are straight.”