Given the emotive nature of the subject of last week’s column, I received a stream of responses that straddled the extremes of fawning com...
Given the emotive
nature of the subject of last week’s column, I received a stream of responses
that straddled the extremes of fawning commendation and feverish condemnation.
But I will only publish a few measured response here. The first is from the
Managing Editor of Premium Times, who pointed out that my column, following Ayo
Fayose, mixed up of the Halliburton and William Jefferson bribery cases. How
could I have missed this? I lived in Louisiana for nearly two years--and very
close to William Jefferson's congressional district, which made me follow his
trial. I apologize for this, but the substance of my intervention still
subsists.
I read both your initial Facebook post and your today's blog
post. Both are valuable feedbacks for Premium Times. Thank you for writing
them. Let me say upfront that the paper's initial report is far below the
standard the medium is known to have set for itself. More checks, and better
editing should have been done. It is indeed a case that has sparked extensive
internal review at the paper. But when professors like you rail at reporters,
and editors, they should always remember that those who work in newsrooms are
human, and therefore not infallible. Indeed, your blog post, also published in
print by Daily Trust has shown that you too are fallible. You kept referring to
the Halliburton bribery scam in your column. Yet, no Aisha Buhari was ever
mentioned as far as that case is concerned. Fayose mixed things up, and you
helped him further to muddle things up. The case he meant to cite was the
William Jefferson bribery scandal which has no relationship with Halliburton.
You made this mistake days after Premium Times did a fact-check to set the
records straight http://www.premiumtimesng.com/.../205834-fact-check-in....
This teaches us that professors are human too, and can make mistakes, just like
the folks in newsrooms.
Musikilu Mojeed, Managing
Editor, Premium Times
“During the course of our investigation, we found that a
property was sold on June 27, 2014 by Aisha Buhari to one Chiagozia Agbarakwe
for $380,000. Evidence shows that that Aisha Buhari purchased the property in
2013 for the sum of $335,000, putting her in Fairfax County, Virginia, during
that period.” - Sahara Reporters.
After reading the above Sahara Reporters investigation, I
personally did further intensive investigations on this lead. The following are
my findings:
1. That Chiagozia Agbarakwe who stays in Virginia, U.S. is
the last known Nigerian to have a transaction with the imposter Aisha Buhari.
He also knows her personally.
2. That Chiagozia Agbarakwe also has CRIMINAL RECORDs in the
U.S. According to ATLASPUBLICRECORD, “Chiagozia Athanasiu Agbarakwe, a resident
of Annandale, Virginia has been charged by Falls Church City County, with
charges of Fail To Carry/Exhibit Reg Card and 42/25 Speeding Lidar.”
3. According to INSTANTCHECKMATE.COM, Chiagozia Agbarakwe
who is now about 40 years old has about 6 criminal cases. “We found 6 criminal
records for people associated with the name "Chiagozia Agbarakwe" in
Virginia.” NOTE: The complete report of this records cost about $27.78 and I am
not ready to pay for that.
4. One of Chiagozia Agbarakwe’s crime partners is Donatus Agbar!
The partners’ criminal records are also well documented in the U.S. He may even
be the imposter we are looking for!
5. Chiagozia Agbarakwe is also on Facebook with the same
name. Chiagozia Agbarakwe is also on Pinterest with the same name.
6. At some point Chiagozia Agbarakwe was a practicing Nurse
in the U.S. but his licence expired in 06/30/2005.
7. Chiagozia Agbarakwe has TWO possible addresses in
Virginia, US is: a). 7404 Englewood Pl Annandale, VA 22003 b). 8073 Horseshoe
Cottage Cir Lorton, VA 22079-2371
CONCLUSION
Chiagozia Agbarakwe needs to come clean and tell us who this
imposter Aisha Buhari is and how we can get her arrested, ELSE all Nigerians at
home and abroad should hold him as a criminal conspirator.
The EFCC, ICPC and DSS should investigate further through
Chiagozia Agbarakwe and Donatus Agbar in order to bring the imposters to book. Nigerians
judge for yourselves.
John MacIntyre
For me, the greater tragedy of this case is that you, an
outsider and a principled critic of the Buhari administration, has done more to
bring the facts of this case—and thus unwittingly defend Mrs Aisha Buharii—than
people who are paid to defend the president and his family. Your clarification
came on Facebook hours after the story of Fayose’s allegation against Mrs Aisha
Buhari was published on Premium Times. It took more than a day for the
presidential media team to react. And when they reacted, they basically
repeated what you wrote. No new facts. No new insight. Just childish abuse.
This has got to be the most lackluster presidential media team in the history
of Nigeria!
Sabiu Umar, Kano
I read your entire piece. I am not sure why the title of
your piece is divorced from the more measured questions in the body. Bottom
line is you really do not know what has happened here, Why the drama and noise?
All the Nigerian government needs to do is ask the US to clear the name of the
real Aisha. This is a simple matter that does not require the time and
resources of news reporters. It is public information. You can simply file a
public information act request of the US government asking them to confirm or
debunk this. Yes, you. I am actually beginning to worry about this because the
Nigerian government knows what to do. We are not children.
Pa Ikhide
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