APC chieftain compares PFIPC scandal to 9/11. Is this the best defence they can muster?

Dr. Taofiq Raimi, an APC chieftain, went on Arise Television on Friday and compared the PFIPC scandal to the September 11 terrorist attacks in America. He argued that sophisticated crimes can happen anywhere, even in advanced nations, so we should not blame the Presidency for the actions of one Adeyemi Adeniyi Matthew who allegedly posed as the Director-General of a non-existent council. This is the level of reasoning now being offered to defend the government.

Let me be clear. I am not saying the Presidency should have known everything. But comparing a case of alleged impersonation and fraud to a coordinated terrorist attack that killed thousands is intellectually dishonest. The question is not whether crime can happen anywhere. The question is whether adequate systems were in place to prevent this particular crime. If a man can walk into government circles claiming to head a council that does not exist, that is a failure of verification, not a failure of prediction.

The Presidency says the council never existed and that Adeyemi is an impostor facing prosecution. Fine. But the issue is how he got close enough to cause this scandal in the first place. Dr. Raimi's defence is an insult to our intelligence. Are we supposed to accept that any crime can happen anywhere, so we should just shrug and move on? Be honest. Would you hire a security guard who says 'burglars can break into any house, so my watch means nothing'?