On that Aisha Buhari and one other thing by Ebuka Nwankwo

Nigerians may never know who this Aisha Buhari, who was mentioned only once in the Virginia Court document that chronicled the trial of William Jefferson, is. This is an indictment on our law enforcement agencies.


Perhaps, Ayo Fayose knows this. Despite the angry responses from the First Lady and a letter believed to be from her lawyers, the governor doesn’t seem to be perturbed. He has even taken his mischief to another level. He has dared the President’s wife to travel to America.

In fact, the information in the public domain have been contradictory, even the ones given by some retired police officers have been confusing.

There is no evidence to back the article written by a New York Times journalist that this fake Aisha Buhari appeared before a grand jury in Jefferson’s trial. In fact, under the line, in which Ms Aisha Buhari was mentioned to have transferred $170,000 from Nigeria to Jefferson’s company, the court document stated that law enforcement agents could not ‘’substantially confirm the source of these wire transactions’’- the companies they were coming from. Her name appeared only once in all court documents.
Actually, because this transfer was coming from Nigeria, the EFCC was supposed to help law enforcement agents in America with the details this Aisha Buhari used in opening her account in Nigeria. Banks are supposed to know their customers. But, the former EFCC boss, Nuru Ribadu, confused me in his intervention.

The former EFCC boss said that this was not President Buhari’s wife. I love to believe this. He also said that the EFCC worked with the U.S. to apprehend this Aisha Buhari – he said she was almost caught. Actually, it was supposed to be Nigeria who would have had more details about this Aisha. All the documents she used in opening an account in Nigeria would have been useful.

Though this Aisha Buhari did that transfer in 2002, it was only in 2005 that U.S. law enforcement agents started investigating the former congressman. Before then, he was a clean man. This was enough time for this Aisha Buhari to have changed her names many times.

The main information that were used in convicting the congressman were gotten from FBI agents, who bugged him, and a Virginia businesswoman who was a cooperating witness, from 2005.

The former EFCC boss even claimed she has just renewed her Nigerian passport in Washington. Apparently, he was referring to the passport that has been on circulation, online. Maybe the former EFCC boss was able to match her face with that of the person who opened an account in Nigeria in 2002. To make this claim believable, Nigerians would have to see the documents this Aisha Buhari used in opening her account in Nigeria.

Even the online report that this woman has finally spoken to journalists cannot be substantiated.

If there is anyone who must have met this Aisha Buhari, it might be the former Akwa Ibom State governor, Victor Attah. However, the New York Times article also suggested that the governor might not have done a background check on this woman, who helped him in getting lobbyists. If Aisha Buhari had been her fake name, then she might have had other names, of course.

But, this New York Times article has lots of gaps in it. It is hard to believe it. It can never help in locating this woman.

Even an online newspaper, Sahara Reporters, tried to do some investigative journalism, but they ended up confusing me. One, if this woman was living in the U.S. and the authorities were able to link her with Jefferson, she should have be in jail, by now. Or, there would have been a record of when she served.

The online newspaper even tried to establish that an Aisha Buhari lived in Virginia. But, that was about the much they could get. Their investigation has some unanswered questions.

Of all the 16 counts that Jefferson was convicted of, the transfer from Nigeria never propped up. It looks like the authorities hit a dead end with that transfer. But, one thing is clear. Around the period this transfer was made, Jefferson had helped a company get a consultancy job in Nigeria and was already lobbying for a telecommunication company in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s law enforcement agency are better placed to tell the Americans the source of that money, since it was transferred from Nigeria. But, like all other corruption cases, this one hit a brick wall.

The inability to trace this Aisha Buhari is big indictment on Nigeria and its law enforcement agency. There are numerous instances where our law enforcement agents only needed to continue from where foreign courts stopped, but they don’t.

Well, I pity the First Lady. As long as this fake Aisha Buhari is not found, the Ekiti State governor will continue to torment her. All the anti-Fayose protests going on will not deter him. The governor is even becoming uncontrollable. He just brought in a big Nigerian bank into the discourse. He is also quoting the bible and interpreting it as he likes.

ONE OTHER THING

Britain has decided to leave the EU. I am popping Champaign at the moment! On the 10th of May, I wrote an article advising Britain to leave the EU. I argued that Nigeria will be better off if Britain votes to leave.

Some people called me names because of the points I made. Sadly, some people are presently distorting facts to suit their argument that this might not augur well for Africa. Despite the uncertainties at the moment, I have no doubt that the Bank of England would roll out policies in the coming months and years to stabilize Britain.

In subsequent articles, we shall discuss other benefits of this exit to Nigeria and Africa. For those interested in my earlier argument on Brexit, you can visit:https://www.thecable.ng/unfortunately-buhari-doesnt-opinion-brexit