The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ibrahim Magu

  • Corruption: Every public official is under investigation – Magu

    Corruption: Every public official is under investigation – Magu

    Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has said that every government official is under investigation without  them knowing about it.

    Magu who spoke in Kaduna on Tuesday said the bane of the fight against corruption in the recent past was lack of political will.

    With the political will demonstrated by President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Magu said Nigeria will soon win the battle against corruption.

    Magu said that President Muhammadu Buhari gave the Commission additional mandate to investigate every Nigerian in government, irrespective of party affiliation in order to win the war against corruption.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the National Union of Textiles and Garment Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) in Kaduna, Magu dispelled the insinuation in some quarters that EFCC operations was one sided in the fight against corruption, saying, this was not true.

    He said, “We have cause to investigate and in fact we are investigating even those that are in government without them knowing.

    “’Not only that, the president has given me the mandate to investigate every corrupt Nigerian leader irrespective of his political affiliation.

    He said, the present administration under the watch of President Buhari has the political will to fight corruption, noting, even the Vice President Osibanjo and many other prominent people in government have the passion to fight corruption.

    “I don’t think we have the monopoly of knowledge to tackle corruption. But more than that, the fight against corruption is designed and structured to boost confidence in the economy as well as to attract investors both within and outside the country”, he added.

    Earlier, the General Secretary of the Textiles Workers Union, Comrade Issa Aremu canvassed for a national strategic to fight corruption, pointing out, that the fight should not be left to EFCC, ICPC, police alone.

    Comrade Aremu also blamed the inability of most State governments to pay salaries to corruption, adding that monies allegedly stolen by public officials cannot be made available for payment of salaries.

    While praising Buhari administration for the unprecedented “mainstreaming of the battle against corruption”, Comrade Aremu said there was an urgent need for a national strategy against the curse of graft which he said is already killing the old-term culture of industry, enterprise and labour productivity in the country.

    He therefore called on President Buhari to revisit 2014 National Conference Report and implement some measures therein that would deepen the government war against corruption.

    ENDS

  • More looters will be prosecuted – EFCC

    More looters will be prosecuted – EFCC

    The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, on Tuesday asked Nigerians to expect more arrest and trial of corruption suspects and recovery of looted funds.

    He also said enforcement alone cannot win the war against corruption.

    Magu said prevention is an effective and necessary weapon that must be employed in conjunction with enforcement.

    He disclosed that a new campaign, “EFCC Women Against Corruption initiative” would be launched in November by the Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari.

    Magu made the submissions in an address at the “Unveiling of the EFCC Creative Youths Initiative against Corruption” in Abuja.

    He said: “Ladies and gentlemen, as we know, the people most impacted by the mindless looting of our commonwealth, are women and children.  These are the  most vulnerable in our society and must not only be protected, but armed with the necessary tools to fight a sustainable and winnable war against corruption.

    “Our children must see that there is a future away from corruption and be encouraged to take that path of honour, moral rectitude and creative employment of their talents, which had been shunned by so many of our corrupt leaders.

    “Let me clarify that EFCC will continue to vigorously enforce its mandate alongside engaging in preventive initiatives such as this.

    “Therefore, even as we appeal to the old and the young to shun corruption and other forms of fraud, expect to see more investigation, more arrests, more trials, more convictions and more recovery of stolen assets.”

    He assured the audience that EFCC will do its best to prevent corruption in the country.

    He however sought the support of all Nigerians to make the war against graft successful.

    He added: “We are the first to recognize that enforcement alone cannot win the war against corruption.

    “Prevention is an effective and necessary weapon that must be employed in conjunction with enforcement and there is no group of Nigerians better equipped to wield that weapon than the youths.

    “Let us bear in mind that the task to rid the nation of the corruption cankerworm cannot be left to EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies alone.

    “We are all stakeholders in the war and cannot let the future generations down; it is for their future that we must sacrifice our today.

    “Let us work together for our dear nation; let us join hands to build for our children the future we desire.”

     

  • EFCC doesn’t torture suspects, says Magu

    EFCC doesn’t torture suspects, says Magu

    For the first time in 13 years, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday opened the doors of its interrogation rooms and its cells to reporters to inspect.

    Chairman of the anti-graft agency Ibrahim Magu said the Commission does not torture suspects because it is investigating non-violence crimes.

    He added that the anti-graft agency had always put the interest of the country above any other consideration.

    Magu, who personally conducted reporters round the EFCC cells and clinics for about an hour, asked Nigerians or organisations to feel free to go and inspect any detention facility of the commission in all parts of the country without notice.

    He said: “I am telling you that our detention facility is one of the best in this country. I will be modest to say it is the best. You can look at the comfort we have provided for suspects, including state of the art toilet facilities.

    “If you have any doubt, you can walk in to inspect our detention facility in Abuja or in any of our zonal offices at any time and without notice. We have nothing to hide at all.

    “We did not tell all these suspects that you were coming for inspection, we wanted you to meet them in a natural state and form your opinion.

    “We don’t torture people or suspects. Our kind of investigation is non-violence crime; we have no basis to torture people.

    “We investigate financial crimes in line with international best practices. If the EFCC invites you, we must have done a lot of background check and all we will ask you is to corroborate our findings.

    “After conducting the initial part of our investigation, we make sure we give bail to suspects. It is now left to these suspects to meet the conditions attached to the bail.”

    He, however, said the commission was not opposed to criticisms.

    He added: “I am happy that every action or inaction of this commission is subjected to interpretation and criticisms. These criticisms will give us room to improve.

    “We are all human beings, we are not perfect. There is no perfection in what we do. We have changed; we are still trying to change.

    “We work for the interest of this country and the interest of this country is above any other interest or person.”

    During the inspection, some of the inmates were reading newspapers, observing afternoon prayers inside a cell which has been designated as a mosque, or on siesta break.

    The cells and trash cans were filled with empty bottles of water provided by the commission.

    The President of the cell, who spoke with reporters and sought protection for his name and photograph, said: “None of us has experienced any torture since we were detained. We eat what we like and the medical service is made available to us for 24 hours.

    “Freedom is priceless. If there is anything we are missing, it is just our freedom but we know this detention is temporary.”

  • EFCC ensures proper investigation before suspects’ arrest – Magu

    The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, said the agency would continue to ensure that proper investigation is carried out before arresting and detaining suspects in its facilities.

    Magu said this while taking journalists on an inspection tour of the commission’s facilities on Thursday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tour was organised by the EFCC to debunk reports that the commission tortures suspects in its custody.

    Magu said the commission has no reason to torture suspects in its detention facilities.

    He said the tour had become necessary to correct negative public perception of the EFCC and its operations.

    He added that contrary to public perception, the commission would not pick on any person until proper investigation and background check were carried out.

    “We do not torture people as it is being speculated, we do proper check on people before inviting them over,’’ he said.

     

  • Three arrested for impersonating EFCC chairman

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested three people for allegedly impersonating the commission’s acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

    The suspects are – Anokwuru Miriam Iheoma, Chukwuma Charles Eze and Ogechi Emeka Okwuosa.

    A statement issued by the Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects had allegedly attempted to obtain the sum of N16million from the Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Prince Casmir I. Ajulu.

    The statement said: “According to Ajulu, the suspects allegedly sent a text message to his mobile phone on March 26, 2016, requesting a list of the names of House of Representatives designates who wanted their Certificates of Return for the last election held in the state.

    “The suspects also allegedly sent some text messages to Ajulu, assuring him that Magu had contacted the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, over the matter.

    “Given Ajulu’s reluctance to meet their demand, the suspects, however, allegedly threatened to deal with him.”

    “The suspects were, however, arrested in a sting operation by operatives of the Commission.”

  • Buhari seeks Magu’s confirmation as EFCC chairman

    Buhari seeks Magu’s confirmation as EFCC chairman

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday requested the Senate to confirm Mr. Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    A letter from the President, read at plenary by the president of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, also sought the confirmation of Messrs Nasule Moses, Lawan Mamman, Galadanci Imam, and Adeleke Rafiu as members of the commission, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    President Buhari requested the Senate to confirm the list of the persons at the shortest time possible.

  • Anti-graft war: EFCC won’t spare any SAN, others – Magu

    Anti-graft war: EFCC won’t spare any SAN, others – Magu

    The Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, on Tuesday said the agency will not spare any Senior Advocate of Nigeria or others linked with money laundering or corrupt practices.

    He asked legal practitioners to always play by the rule and avoid being used by corrupt elements to pervert justice.

    He said lawyers have a greater stake in the war against corruption more than any other class of professionals.

    The EFCC chief said the commission will soon go after people who buy properties with stolen funds as well as people those who used to help others to escape justice

    Magu made the submissions at the opening of a one-day workshop in Abuja, which was organized by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in collaboration with the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACC).

    A statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, quoted Magu as saying:  “We will not stop going after people who are involved in laundering money. It doesn’t matter who you are, the law is a respecter of nobody especially those who commit crime.

    “Whether you are EFCC, SAN or whatever, sooner or later we will start going after people who buy properties with stolen funds as well as people who help others to escape justice.

    Magu, who commended the bar for being good partners in the fight against graft, however decried the attitudes of some lawyers who compromise on their jobs for criminals to escape justice.

    He said lawyers have a greater stake in the war more than any other class of professionals.

    He said: “The EFCC cannot stamp out corruption in the country without the support of all stakeholders.

    “We consider everybody a stakeholder, as the EFCC does not have monopoly of knowledge to defeat all shades of graft.

    “Legal practitioners should always play by the rule and avoid being used by corrupt elements to pervert justice. What is important is the interest of the nation which should be placed above any other interest.

    In his keynote address, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, urged members of the bar to examine themselves with a view to developing workable ways to curb corruption.

    The CJN, who spoke through Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, charged them to look inward as individuals in the system, and collectively as a body to improve the legal system.

  • NNPC withholds another $12.9b in eight years – NEITI

    NNPC withholds another $12.9b in eight years – NEITI

    The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr. Waziri Adio, on Friday said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) has withheld another $12.9billion revenue.

    He said the revenue came from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas between 2005 and 2013.

    He said some infractions have been committed which require the prosecution of the masterminds by anti-graft agencies.

    But the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, said the agency will bite if NEITI wants it to do so.

    According to a statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the NEITI Executive Secretary spoke on the stench in the oil sector when he visited the EFCC chairman.

    He said NEITI might report serious infractions to the EFCC.

    He said: “The 2013 Oil and Gas Audit Report revealed that some government agencies like NNPC and its subsidiaries withheld $3.8billion and N358billion.

    “Another revelation is that $12.9 billion was withheld by NNPC from NLNG between 2005 and 2013.”

    He expressed the readiness of his agency to collaborate with the EFCC in tackling corruption by reporting serious infractions that violate the country’s constitution.

    “We have an Act that criminalise certain behaviours. If people do not cooperate with us, if people do not give us information on time, they are liable to be prosecuted, fined and jailed.

    “But, we have existed for 12 to 13 years and nobody has ever been tried under our Act and that is not to say some infractions would not have occurred.”

    He said a major challenge confronting NEITI is the lack of power to prosecute.

    He said NEITI only carries out audit.

    “There are a lot of findings that have come up over time about monies missing, about collusion between operators and government agencies, about possibility of money laundering, about all kinds of economic crimes that we are not in a position to push forward,” Adio said.

    He said deepening relationship with EFCC would help send signals to all the agencies and companies that relate with NEITI to cooperate with it.

    Responding, Magu, assured the delegation that the commission was prepared to give a quick response in areas of need and to improve on the existing relationship between the two agencies.

    “Where you want us to use our teeth to bite, we would readily do so,” Magu added.

  • EFCC constitutes task force on NEITI report

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday  set up a joint task force on the recently released audit reports of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

    Membership of the task force is drawn from NEITI and the EFCC.

    The task force is to study the reports and identify areas where financial crimes have been committed against the nation.

    According to a statement issued by NEITI’s Director of Communications, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, the Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, made the decision in Abuja after receiving copies of the reports from the NEITI Executive Secretary, Waziri Adio.

    The statement noted that Magu said  it is no longer acceptable for NEITI to publish reports and agencies, companies and individuals that had clearly committed financial crimes as disclosed by the reports are left to go without sanctions.

    “I have heard people say that NEITI has no teeth to bite, but today I assure you that by our renewed joint collaboration, the EFCC will provide NEITI with the required teeth to bite.”

    The EFCC chairman advised members of the task force to carry out the assignments with utmost diligence by developing an action plan and make recommendations for immediate action by the commission.

    Presenting the report, the NEITI Executive Secretary lamented that while NEITI has been churning out series of reports since 2004, it is regrettable that no one has either been tried or convicted for infractions on the NEITI Act.

    He called on the EFCC to step in and help NEITI enforce required sanctions.

     

  • Court warns EFCC, Magu over Austrian unlawful detention

    The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, on Thursday warned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, over the unlawful detention of an Austrian, Wolgang Reinl, by officials of the commission.

    The warning was contained in a Form 48 (notice of consequences of disobedience to court orders) issued by the court’s registry.

    The Form 48, which is the initial steps in the commencement of contempt proceedings against an alleged contemnor, was informed by the refusal of the EFCC and Magu to obey the orders made by the court in recent judgments.

    Justice Peter Affen had on April 20, after listening to Reinl’s lawyer, Mazi Afam Osigwe, argued an application for the fundamental rights enforcement, held that Reini’s detention at the EFCC office at Wuse 2 ,Abuja, from December 28 last year  to February 5, 2016 was  unlawful, unconstitutional and constitutes a gross violation of his fundamental right to dignity of human person and personal liberty

    The judge declared that the seizure of the applicant’s passport by the EFCC constitutes a gross violation of the applicant’s right to freedom of movement contrary to Article 12(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples” Rights.

    Justice Affen  order that “the respondent (EFCC) shall release forthwith the applicant’s International Passport seized or confiscated in the wake of his arrest and detention and delist him from their watch list or no fly list.

    “The respondent shall pay forthwith to the applicant the sum of (N10,000,000) as compensatory damages for the violation of his fundamental rights to dignity of human person and personal liberty,” the judge ruled.

    Osigwe said almost two weeks after the court’s decision, the EFCC and its chairman have “bluntly and flagrantly refused to either release the applicant’s international passport or pay the N10million compensation as ordered by the court.”