Corruption is an attack on Nigeria and a deliberate and calculated wickedness against the nation’s existence, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Mustafa Magu has said.
Magu’s remark comes on the heels of a visit to The Nation Headquarters in Lagos, where he admitted that the rate of conviction in corruption cases is low. But according to him, more looters of the nation’s funds will go to jail this year.
The EFCC chairman promised to discharge his responsibility “with the fear of God, in the national interest, and strictly observing the rule of law.”
He said: “We need more support; it is about Nigeria, not an individual, the fight is for everybody, from the media we have to go to the grassroots, we will take it to children in the schools; we have to tell the children that corruption is bad, tell them why there is no chair in the classroom.
“We will sensitise everybody to the evil of corruption. We need to let people know that corruption is bad because some people don’t seem to know.
“The impunity is too much. Sometimes I shed tears in the morning before I go to the office. It is just unbelievable; the rot is terrible. What I am saying is that people who know they have stolen our commonwealth should bring it back.
“People arrogate things to themselves. They have taken our money and are bold enough to say they are not going to return it. The money belongs to the people; they should return the money quietly; let there be voluntary compliance. Let them voluntarily come out to say ‘this is what I have stolen’ and the government will take it. I think that is the best thing to do.”
Speaking on the handcuffing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Olisa Metuh when he appeared in court, Magu said there is nothing wrong in handcuffing an accused person.
He said: “It is not coming from us (Nigerian Prisons Service —NPS— brought Metuh to court), but there is nothing wrong with that actually. They have a right to use their discretion; you are not there, there must be reason. There are instances when you handcuff a suspect, but let them explain themselves.”
According to him, the EFCC was receiving renewed interest and cooperation from foreign agencies and there will be no hiding place for treasury looters.
“It is important for the lawmakers to be put on the hot seat. If you make one law for the person who steals a goat to go to jail for 11 years and somebody who with pen and paper commits money laundering of over N5 billion for minor years, it is not proper.”
“The people need their capacity to be enhanced; they need funding. We are still renting offices all over the country. There is one massive building of the EFCC that has not advanced because of funding. If we go into that place, we are going to have security of documents, evidences and witnesses. The staff will be better protected. This is the kind of intervention that we are asking the Nigerian people.
“It is not the job of the EFCC to convict people. The EFCC hands of after taking them to court with evidence and witnesses. But, they know how to drag this thing. After six, seven or 10 years’ witnesses die, you can no longer call for evidence and Nigerians are saying EFCC has not convicted this or that. So, we need to refocus and make new laws that will channel our activities properly.”
Magu’s comments comes just days after he gave the assurance that the EFCC will adhere to court orders.
According to him, the war against corruption was not about him or the EFCC but about all Nigerians who want to see Nigeria move forward.
Magu made this assertion at a media briefing in Abuja saying that the anti-graft body has no reason to disobey courts.
The EFCC boss stressed that the need to make this clarification became necessary following consistent criticism from prominent members of society who accused the commission of disobeying court orders.
