The Chase (Part I) By Ogbonna Nwuke

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC has ordered an investigation. That investigation is to unravel how the Wike administration spent chunks of money belonging to the Rivers people in the last three years.
Officials of the EFCC are looking at a princely sum of N117 billion which it believes may have been salted away contrary to the law that prohibits money laundering.
Already, an official of Zenith who the EFCC has reason to suspect may have facilitated the rape of Rivers funds is in the net.
Given the concern expressed by most Rivers people over the way and manner funds belonging to the State are being handled, the EFCC investigation has not come as a surprise.
Wike had been in the eye of the storm early in the administration of Rotimi Amaechi, accused by the EFCC of siphoning funds from Government House coffers.
Senator Magnus Abe, Secretary to Government at the time, who was despatched to find out what Wike’s trouble was, was himself put in the cooler for a while.
So, this will not be the first time that Wike will be having a brush with the EFCC. The only difference this time is that the man enjoys immunity as a governor.
The first time EFCC knocked on his door Governor Amaechi as he then was stuck out his neck to defend him.
It will be interesting to see how the latest face off with the EFCC pans out.
Wike has ordered staff of the Rivers State Government not to appear before the EFCC. If Wike enjoys immunity, do these officials enjoy same?
Not to respond to an invitation by law enforcement anywhere in the world is an affront to the law, and no system can tolerate that.
In the United States where investigations are being conducted around President DonaldTrump, he hasn’t exhibited the kind of audacity that Wike has shown.
This is Nigeria. Shit happens most of the time. Men who have sworn to protect our system show the worst form of disdain for the law.
Rivers people have found it difficult to understand why they have little knowledge of what is happening in their own government.
They have no idea of how much is coming or how much is going out.
There isn’t any information on the Rivers budget either. Projects are constructed and commissioned, but nobody would be told how much it cost  to execute such projects.
Rivers money doesn’t belong to those who govern us. It belongs to the people and government must be accountable to the people at all times.
Since overlords run our affairs and we operate a system of laws, Rivers people are certainly happy that questions are being asked where it should be asked.
To launder funds under any guise is to rob the people of their commonwealth. It is an act that takes the opportunity for even and sustainable development away and leaves the people with little or no infrastructural base.
Obviously to leave the people in abject poverty no matter how benevolent a government can be while a few person in authority share their commonwealth which could provide affordable medicare and education, create much needed employment and put food on their table is corruption. There is no other name by which such damnable acts can be described.