VOA常速英语2007年-Nigeria's Anti-Corruption Chief Ousted

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
28 December 2007

The chairman of Nigeria's anti-corruption² Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, has been ousted³ in a move criticized by anti-corruption campaigners. Gilbert da Costa in Abuja reports that Ribadu's term in office has been the subject of speculation⁴ in recent times.

 

The predominant view is that President Umaru YarAdua may have finally succumbed⁵ to pressure from politicians to stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC's corruption investigations⁶.

 

Berlin-based corruption watchdog Transparency International routinely classifies Nigeria as one of the world's most corrupt¹ countries.

 

President YarAdua came to power in May with a pledge to fight corruption without sparing anyone, no matter how highly placed.

 

The EFCC has been the most potent⁷ tool in the anti-corruption crusade since its creation in 2003.

 

The head of the Nigerian police, Mike Okiro, announced that President YarAdua has approved a compulsory⁸ one-year senior officer's training course for Ribadu, a ranking police officer. By that announcement, Ribadu is expected to be replaced as head of the EFCC in January.

 

Abuja based graft⁹ fighter Auwal Ibrahim Rafsanji, says the controversy¹⁰ that greeted the anti-corruption chief's removal illustrates¹¹ major flaws in Nigeria's quest to stem endemic corruption.

 

"Past and present governments have not been able to institutionalize the fight against corruption around institutional approach," said Rafsanji. "And therefore it is built around individuals, which is not good for a nation that wants to fight corruption."

"A lot of Nigerians are also concerned that asking the EFCC chairman to go on a compulsory one-year course is not unconnected with the fact that there have been efforts to get him out of office since the beginning of this government. We are also concerned that this is coming at a time when high-profile cases of corrupt officials are being tried," he continued.

 

The EFCC is currently prosecuting¹² seven former governors, including one of the country's most powerful politicians James Ibori, for corruption.

 

Campaigners had complained that Mr. YarAdua had been slow to arrest Ibori and other former governors accused of looting state funds.

 

The government had been accused of shielding Ibori from prosecution¹³ as a reward for his role in supporting the president's election campaign in April.

 

The EFCC, created by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, has been criticized for political bias¹⁴ against opponents of Mr. Obasanjo in the build-up to general elections earlier this year. Ribadu denies the charge.

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

4 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

5 succumbed   

不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死

参考例句：

• The town succumbed after a short siege. 该城被围困不久即告失守。
• After an artillery bombardment lasting several days the town finally succumbed. 在持续炮轰数日后，该城终于屈服了。

6 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

7 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

8 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

9 graft   

n.移植，嫁接，艰苦工作，贪污；v.移植，嫁接

参考例句：

• I am having a skin graft on my arm soon.我马上就要接受手臂的皮肤移植手术。
• The minister became rich through graft.这位部长透过贪污受贿致富。

10 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

11 illustrates   

给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明

参考例句：

• This historical novel illustrates the breaking up of feudal society in microcosm. 这部历史小说是走向崩溃的封建社会的缩影。
• Alfred Adler, a famous doctor, had an experience which illustrates this. 阿尔弗莱德 - 阿德勒是一位著名的医生，他有过可以说明这点的经历。 来自中级百科部分

12 prosecuting   

检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师

参考例句：

• The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel. 证人接受控方律师的盘问。
• Every point made by the prosecuting attorney was telling. 检查官提出的每一点都是有力的。

13 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

14 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。