New York, April 22, 2008 --- There are indications that the actions of daughter of Nigeria's ex-military and civilian leader former Army General Olusegun Obasanjo may be denting the image of Nigeria law enforcement and her fellow lawmakers.

In a recent interview she granted the BBC from her hideout in unknown location, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello stated that she fears for her life after being charged by the nation's anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello was named in a fraud case in the Federal Ministry of Health that led to the resignation of two health ministers.

Her comments come after anti-corruption agents visited her home in an attempt to take her in for questioning.

Rather than submit to the anti-graft agency, the lady who is also a Senator in the national Congress scaled the high fence via the back door and disappeared into hiding since then, according to some news report.

"I'm not on the run but I feel as if I'm a victim of harassment... I'm afraid for my life," she reportedly told BBC.

"I am afraid of the EFCC... they slapped my PA when they got to the house," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. PA is believed to mean ‘personal assistant’.

Senator Obasanjo-Bello is the Chairman of Nigeria Senate Committee on health.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleges the former health ministers withdrew and shared unspent money (N300 million Naira) from the 2007 budget and accuses Sen Obasanjo-Bello of receiving some of that money (N10 million Naira).

After charges against Mrs Obasanjo-Bello were read in court last week, the EFCC said she had to turn herself in as soon as possible.

But the Senator says she cannot understand why her home was raided on Tuesday when she has visited the EFCC offices twice in the past week and made herself available through her lawyer.

"I am afraid of the EFCC... they slapped my PA when they got to the house," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

"There's a very huge anti-Obasanjo sentiment in the country now and honestly the behaviour is not normal", continued the senator and former first daughter.

Sen Obasanjo-Bello was ‘elected’ to represent Ogun State in the Senate in last year's controversial elections prior to her father’s stepping down after two terms in office.

Resignations

The brief summary of this case involves unspent money in the nation’s federal Ministry of Health in 2007 budget.

President Umar Yar'Adua had instructed all ministries to return unspent money to the central bank.

But the former health minister Adenike Grange and her minister of state Gabriel Aduku are accused of writing checks for fake contracts and handing out the money, rather than comply with the law.

They (former Health Minister Adenike Grange and former Minister of State for Health Gabriel Aduku) resigned from their positions in March after an investigation uncovered that 300m naira ($2.5m) had not been returned to the federal government after the budget year ended, but was rather disbursed illegally.

They are currently facing charges of corruption in court.

Rubbishing the law enforcement

Statements credited to Senator Obasanjo-Bello which were upon being aired by BBC received worldwide attention are usually referred to in Nigeria as, ‘rubbishing the name of the law enforcement’ and are not usually taken very lightly by the nation’s authorities.

It is very interesting that such comment is coming from such a high profile personality.

Many people in Nigeria and across the world hope that the Senator may upon her re-appearance join or form a large national crusade against police brutality and promotion of human rights, so she will use her experiences to benefit the larger public.

‘Rubbishing embarrassment’ to the image of Nigeria lawmakers, as well

The colleagues of Senator Obasanjo-Bello in the National Assembly have been calling on her to come out from hiding and face the anti-corruption agency if she has nothing to hide, to save them this ‘rubbishing embarrassment’, as well.

Senator Obasanjo-Bello's colleague at the Senate (‘upper house’) had few days ago cleared her of any wrongdoing, however, after noticing her absence for two consecutive days following attempt by the anti-corruption agency to interview her, the same colleagues at the Senate also called on her to surrender to the EFCC.

Also, the Chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Eziuche Ubani, who stated the position of the lower chamber at a press conference in the National Assembly, few days ago asked the Senator to stop hiding as her going underground and her refusal to submit herself to the EFCC might embarrass the legislature, even further.

Hon. Ubani said that since the law establishing the anti-graft agency was made by the National Assembly it would send a wrong signal to the outside world that even lawmakers do not obey laws made by them.

“Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello should endeavour to appear before the EFCC. The whole thing is giving the National Assembly a bad name. It creates the impression that we don't obey the laws made by ourselves. The law establishing EFCC was made by the National Assembly and therefore, the lawmakers ought to show the example by appearing before the agency any time they are invited, particularly when some people from the executive are facing trial over the matter', he said.

"As a lawmaker, it is an obligation for her to appear and save us the drama. The invitation extended to her by EFCC does not mean she is guilty in any way. Let her go and clear her name and by extension name of the National Assembly. We have seen situations where some persons were invited by the agency and later asked to go. The drama is making us uncomfortable and we want this drama to end".