November 21, 2016
Abuja, Nigeria – In a significant turn of events, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has cleared former Chief of Naval Staff, Usman Jibrin, of corruption charges dating back to September 2016. Mr. Jibrin, a retired vice admiral, had been arraigned alongside two other retired rear admirals, Bala Mshelia and Shehu Ahmadu, and a company called Harbour Bay International Limited on allegations of corruption.
The charges, which included criminal conspiracy and the purchase of a house worth N600 million from the account of Naval Engineering Services without budgetary approval, had cast a shadow of suspicion over these senior naval officers.
The case came before Justice A. Umar of the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja. The prosecution alleged that the accused parties were involved in an unauthorized purchase, not budgeted for, which raised concerns about the misappropriation of funds in the Navy.
However, in a surprising twist, the EFCC investigation ultimately cleared Admiral Usman Jibrin of these allegations, asserting his innocence. The outcome of the investigation has revealed that the purchase of the house was legitimate, and the transactions were properly documented. This revelation led to an official apology from the EFCC for the false allegations levied against Admiral Jibrin.
The exoneration of the former Chief of Naval Staff, along with his co-accused, has been welcomed by many who had followed the case closely. It highlights the importance of thorough investigations and the principle of “innocent until proven guilty.”
In light of this development, Admiral Usman Jibrin can now put these allegations behind him and continue his post-military career without the burden of unsubstantiated corruption charges. This case serves as a reminder of the necessity for diligence and fairness in the pursuit of justice and the potential harm that false allegations can cause to individuals’ reputations.