By Fredrick Nwabufo
Ibrahim Magu, acting
chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), escaped the
axe by the gators last week. He was nearly fired. The EFCC chief’s nearly
five-year incumbency has been a wild play of intrigues, distraction and
confusion.
I recall in 2016
when the senate declined to confirm his appointment, citing a DSS report which
was damnatory in complexion. I was startled at the content of that report. I
broke the story revealing the details of the intelligence at a time Nigerians
were on the edge to get the gist unseasoned.
For the sake of
perspicuity, I have reproduced an abridged version of the DSS report here.
“Magu is currently
occupying a residence rented for N40m at N20m per annum. This accommodation was
not paid [for] from the commission’s finances, but by one Umar Mohammed, air
commodore retired, a questionable businessman who has subsequently been
arrested by the secret service. For the furnishing of the residence, Magu
enlisted the Federal Capital Development Authority to award a contract to
Africa Energy, a company owned by the same Mohammed, to furnish the residence
at the cost of N43m.
“Investigations show
that the acting EFCC chairman regularly embarked on official and private trips
through a private jet owned by Mohammed. In one of such trips, Magu flew to
Maiduguri alongside Mohammed with a bank MD who was being investigated by the
EFCC over complicity in funds allegedly stolen by the immediate past petroleum
minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke. Furthermore, the EFCC boss has so far
maintained a high-profile lifestyle. This is exemplified by his preference for
first-class air travels. On 24 June, 2016, he flew Emirate airlines first-class
to Saudi Arabia to perform lesser hajj at the cost of N2.9m. This is in spite
of Mr President’s directive to all public servants to fly economy class. Magu
has fostered a beneficial relationship with Mohammed who by his confession
approaches clients for possible exploitation, favours and associated returns.”
However, despite the
senate’s repudiation of Magu’s appointment situated on this DSS report,
President Muhammadu Buhari re-nominated him. But the senate would not cave in.
The reaction to the decision of the senate at the time was that some corrupt
elements in the national assembly were trying to derail the anti-corruption
efforts of the president.
But has the tune
changed?
According a THISDAY
report on Friday, Abubakar Malami, minister of justice and attorney-general of
the federation (AGF), has asked the president to sack Magu as acting EFCC
chairman.
The report said
Malami asked Buhari to sack Magu over “22 weighty” allegations, including the
diversion of recovered loot. Though the news story seems to suggest Magu is a
victim of witch-hunt, can these allegations rest on nothing?
I must admit, Magu
has shown utility and fervour in the fight against corruption. His passion for
the job is contagious. But then again, there are ponderous allegations hanging
around his neck and bugging him down.
Really, the craft
and artifices against Magu could be ‘’corruption fighting back’’ or ‘’could be
corruption fighting corruption’’. It could be both ways. But I must foreground
this point with the fact that the acting EFCC chairman has demonstrated
unmatched oomph to wrestle corruption to the mire.
Again, Magu cannot
be faulted regarding dedication to his job, but there are areas where he is
deeply flawed. He has shown a mitigated capacity to understand and interrogate
issues. I recall in February 2020 when a leading Nigerian online newspaper
reported that the acting EFCC chairman said he is strongly convinced that
corruption is the cause of COVID-19. He said this without nuance or context,
advertising a deep intellectual chasm.
Also, he has sort of
revised the agency to a personality cult. The foibles and defects of Magu are
no longer distinguishable from the character of this institution. As I once
said, where Magu falters, the EFCC stumbles.
In August 2019, the
EFCC Twitter handle @officialEFCC tweeted a photo of some top staff of the
agency tagging them ‘Magu boys’. I said then that this bilge accented the
execrable customisation of the anti-graft agency, and it explains why the
agency operates neurotically in the character of its head.
The acting EFCC
chairman once declared that a suspect stole $2.5bn without the pronouncement of
a court — while his operatives ran amok invading nightclubs to arrest random
party animals in the guise of hunting yahoo-boys.
Really, the
reluctance of public officers to distinguish themselves from their offices is
the reason for abuse of office. This is where Magu is fatally remiss — by my
own estimation.
To say the least, it
is corruption as well when individuals expropriate public offices, design them
in their own image and build a temple in them for everyone to worship.
Corruption is not only measured in naira, pounds and dollars.
The president must
stop dilly-dallying on Magu. He has to set up an independent panel to look into
these allegations and put Magu out of his misery. He must take an objective
decision on this – to re-nominate him to the senate for confirmation or not.
As, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the federal high court Abuja said, he holds the
‘’yam and the knife’’.
Fredrick Nwabufo is
a writer and journalist.
Twitter: @FredrickNwabufo
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