By Eric Ikhilae, Abuja
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has described the ongoing probe of the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a plus for President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption policy.
He dismissed the fears in some quarters that the probe was a vendetta against the EFCC leadership.
“It is, indeed, a plus. It goes to establish the tradition for which this government is known; a tradition of no fear or favour as far as investigating corruption cases are concerned or corruption allegations or issues,” Malami said on a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) interview late Friday.
“It is indeed a plus that has reenacted, reinforced and reestablished a tradition by which the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is known, which tradition is to the effect that no allegation of corruption can be swept under the carpet. So, it is, indeed, to my mind, a plus and not a blow,” he added.
But he declined to speak on the possible effect of the probe on the suspended acting chairman of the commission, Mallam Ibrahim Magu, and other staff of the agency.
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He said: “I would not want to be preemptive of the panel put in place by the President relating to an agency.”
Malami said he was not averse to the agitation for the split of the office of the AGF and the Minister of Justice owing to fear of possible abuse, insisting that he was comfortable with any arrangement that would foster efficiency and protection of public interest.
“I am in support of anything that goes to establish efficiency in the system. So, I will look at it from the point of efficiency and perhaps make a remark,” he said.
“I am not in a position to make a comment now in one way or the other. But, as a person, I believe in the efficiency of the system, and anything that goes to establish specialization and efficiency, I am in support of it.”
He expressed support for the agitation for stricter penalties for culprits in rape and other sexual and gender-based violent (SGBV) crimes in the country, saying: “I agree with you that there is a need for stricter and stringent measures, and I do not rule out any possibility in that regard, provided the considerable remedy that is being considered will bring about sanity in the system.”
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