Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has spoken on the
challenges of the commission in arresting Diezani Alison-Madueke, former
minister of petroleum resources.
Reacting to the court order that
the EFCC and other security agencies should produce Alison-Madueke with 72
hours, Magu said it would have been an easy task if she was not outside
Nigeria.
On Monday, the court had granted
EFCC leave to arraign Madueke who is standing trial alongside Jide Omokore, a
former chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Company, on five counts bordering
on conspiracy and illegal act of accepting and giving gratifications.
Speaking during an interactive
session with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Magu said the anti-graft agency
is not in the habit of not complying with court orders but in the case of
Alison-Madueke, “our problem is that she is another man’s country”.
“I need less than 72 hours to
produce Deziani. How can I get her if she is being protected by forces outside
this country?” he asked.
“This is my predicament otherwise
if it is 72 hours, if she is here, I will just get her.”
He said the fact that the suspect
is being prosecuted by other law enforcement agencies outside this country, is
a “predicament” to the EFCC.
He, however, said another agency
was working on extraditing Alison-Madueke.
“We will comply with the court
order. In fact, it is in our character to do so. If we won’t comply with the
court order, that means we have reasons to appeal against the court decision,”
Magu said.
“Another law enforcement agency
is in the matter. You know she is in the United Kingdom. And we are making
preparations to get her. We have already gone to the court, in fact that was
our request for extradition that compelled the court to issue a warrant of
arrest against her.
“I need just less than an hour.
If she is here, I will get her immediately and take her before the court. Our
problem is that she is another man’s country.
“Nobody can say she has not
committed anything. All the neighbouring countries in Europe and America and
all the law enforcement agencies in the world have knowledge of Diezani’s money
laundering activities.”
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