Farida Waziri

Farida Mzamber Waziri (born 7 July 1949) is a Nigerian technocrat, law enforcement officer and former executive chairperson of the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). She succeeded Nuhu Ribadu in this post.

2016

• “I sit down sometimes and wonder what corrupt Nigerians are thinking of. Somebody gets a big position and thinks he needs a big house in the United States and then jets out to buy a mansion. He comes back and then wants a house in Europe. He jets out to the UK to buy one and then thinks of the UAE, he jets out to Dubai and buys one and he is not satisfied. He then jets out to South Africa to buy one. I went to Pretoria and I was taken to a street which was vacated by De Boers, the white farmers who had left South Africa and I was shown houses owned by Nigerians. They looked like cathedrals to me. They looked like haunted houses and when these Nigerians travel to South Africa, they can’t stay there so they lodge in hotels. So, what is the aim? What goes on in their minds? And that is why I said that before the government employs anyone to positions of authority, let them be medically examined. They need psychiatric test.”
  • [1]
  • Appealing to the Federal Government to ensure that all politicians undertake psychiatric tests before occupying any office.

• “The government alone cannot wage war against corruption, hence, all people irrespective of their status should complement the current effort of the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the menace in the country.”
  • [2]
  • A clarion call to Nigerians to partner with the federal government in the ongoing task of waging war against corruption in the country.

• “Corruption is a monumental endemic that had eaten deep into the fabric of the society and the people of the country should support President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government to address the menace once and for all.”
  • [3]
  • Affirming that corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of Nigerian society.

2017

• “If I see President Jonathan today, I will kneel down to thank him for the honour done me by removing me as the EFCC Chairman at the time he did.”
  • [4]
  • Aftermath of her sacking as EFCC Chairman.

2018

• “Through the police I could see human beings for truly what they are.”

[ https://www.sunnewsonline.com/police-taught-me-to-understand-human-nature-farida-waziri-ex-efcc-chairman/] The motivation and attraction to joining the Force.

• “If you have to do what is right, you will face a lot of problems in this country. People don’t want you to do the right thing.”
  • [5]
  • Occasions when her life came under threat in the line of duty.

• “This is the time for every patriotic political leader, especially those aspiring for offices and who will be going round to mobilise the people, to avoid hate speech capable of inciting their followers and supporters into violence.”
  • [6]
  • Cautioning politicians on hate speech and violence.

• “The recent spate of killings in some parts of the country is subsiding now, our political leaders owe the masses the duty to maintain the peace so that we will not have to witness election-related bloodshed, which may have more devastating effect on the socio-economic and political development of the country,”
  • [7]
  • Affirming that Nigeria needs peace and unity to have a successful 2019 elections.

2020

• “Even though women have shown that they can hold their own and they work very hard but the political system is not very encouraging for the women.”
  • [8]
  • On women in politics.

• “Politics in Nigeria is very expensive and most women cannot compete well with the men. However, I think there is a lot that has to be done by the women themselves to prove their own and they should not sit back and say because they are women they want this or they want Beijing Declaration. They should work hard so that they can be identified in the political scene.”
  • [9]
  • Talking about the Nigerian political scene.

• “There is nothing like equality, nobody is equal and the Nigerian women are not competing with the Nigerian men because they are there to support.”
  • [10]
  • On women clamouring for equal rights.

Quotes about Farida Waziri

• “Mrs. Waziri has done her best in the fight against corruption, earning star convictions and it is only posterity that can judge and assess her achievements as the chairman of EFCC.”
  • [11]
  • Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, on Farida Waziri’s performance as EFCC.