Even those who the EFCC successfully prosecuted and convicted were allowed to enter into plea bargaining, an arrangement which prevented convicts from punishment after surrendering loot.

One of such cases is that which involved former Governor of Edo state, Lucky Igbinedion who, according to EFCC, looted his state of N4.3 billion.

Also a former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun was sentenced to six month with a fine of N4million for corruptly enriching himself to the tune of N10 billion.

It was only the People’s Democratic Party Chieftain, Bode George, that got  a sentenced as long as two-and-a half-years. Mr. George was jailed over a N85 billion fraud at the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA.

However, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher, has declared plea bargains in these cases illegal, describing the practice as ‘dubious”.

Many Nigerians believe that the war against corruption has suffered a setback since the removal of the former head of the Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. 

Mr. Ribadu was dismissed by the late president Musa Yar'dua in a controversial manner that dipped the anti-corruption war record of the administration.

“If you really want to help Africa, put an end to corruption” Ribadu was quoted in 2011 by Frontline World after he was reportedly forced into exile. 

But Nigeria appears to be one of the leading countries even in Africa with the crisis of graft and corruption.  In its 2010 Corruption Perception Index, Transparency International listed Nigeria as one of the most corrupt nations in the world scoring it 24 percent as against South Africa and Ghana which scored 45 and 41 percent respectively.

Ribadu reported that more than $380 billion was lost to graft and mismanagement between 1960 and 1999.

Human Rights Watch, a US-based rights organisation, has recently painted EFCC as a toothless bulldog which has been all barks, but no bite. The US organisation says that “Despite its promise, the EFCC has fallen far short of its potential and eight years after its inception is left with a battered reputation and an uncertain record of accomplishment.” 

Nevertheless, the EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, has assured Nigerians that corrupt government officials will no longer go unpunished.  She debunked the information circulating that the commission had let the 2007-2011 governors who had been accused of corruption, off the hook .

"Nothing has been swept under the carpet. It's like they say, once beaten twice shy. We are still working. We want to do a proper job of investigation before we arrest and prosecute," she said.

However, many Nigerians take Mrs. Farida’s promise with a pinch of salt.

President Goodluck Jonathan, they say, made the same promise in 2010 when he stepped in as acting-president in place of  the then ailing President Yar’dua.

Yet many ex-government office holders who have been accused of corruption are still walking free.

One of the challenges dogging EFCC is the poor criminal justice system in Nigeria. Courts seat over cases for years. This is the reason stakeholders are asking for the establishment of a special court to hear corruption cases.

Lagos Human Rights advocate, Femi Falana, said in the media that there should be special court like the election petitions tribunal which would be sitting day by day.

Ayo Fayose ( Ekiti state)

 Allegedly embezzled N1.2 billion.  Arraigned in 2006.

Joshua Dariye (Plateau state)

Allegedly embezzled N700 million. Arraigned in 2007.

Saminu Turaki (Jigawa state)

Allegedly embezzled N36 billion. Arraigned in 2007.

Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia state)

Allegedly embezzled N5 billion. Arraigned in 2007.

James Ibori ( Delta state)

Allegedly embezzled N9.2billion. Arraigned in 2008.

 Jolly Nyame (Taraba state)

Allegedly embezzeled N1.3 billion. Arraigned in 2007.

Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu state)

Allegedly embezzeled N5.3 billion. Arraigned in 2007.

Michael Botmang (Plateau state)

Allegedly embezzeled N1.5 billion. Arraigned in 2008.

Boni Haruna (Adamawa state)

Allegedly embezzled N250 million. Arraigned in 2008.

Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo State)

Allegedly embezzled N6 billion. Arraigned in 2008.

Adamu Abdullahi (Nassarawa state)

Allegedly embezzled N15 billion. Arraigned in 2010.

Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto state)

Allegedly embezzled N15 billion. Arraigned in 2009.

• Freed

Lucky Igbinedion (Edo state)

Allegedly embezzled N4.3 billion. Arraigned in 2007.

He refunded the N4.3 billion through plea bargain and was set free.

 Source: www.efccnigeria.org