The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has accused senior lawyers and journalists of frustrating the war on corruption in the country.
Magu disclosed this at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, when he played host to a coalition of Civil Society Groups, adding that the senior lawyers were among those who benefitted from Nigeria’s scholarship programmes while growing up.
According to him, “One of the big challenges we have in the effective prosecution of the war on corruption is that of very senior lawyers who Nigeria has been very kind to: Those who went to good schools here, when Nigeria was good, many of them, on government scholarship; those who Nigeria has given so much opportunity”.
He stated that despite that the agency was faced with formidable legal opposition in its war on corruption, it was making appreciable progress.
“When we have corruption cases, cases of people who have stolen food from the mouths of our children; when we have cases of people who have stolen money meant to build hospitals and buy drugs; when we have cases of people who have stolen all the money meant to buy guns for our soldiers to fight Boko Haram, when we have all these cases of wicked people who have stolen Nigeria’s money, they run to these same senior lawyers, give them part of the stolen money and mobilize them to fight us, to delay us in court and to deny Nigerians of justice. These are the people who do not want justice for the common man.
“The other day, 34 Senior Advocates of Nigeria fought against only one small EFCC lawyer in court and he defeated all of them! What we are doing today is not by our power, it is the power of the Nigerian people and the power of God behind us!” he said.
Furthermore, he Magu said powerful people accused of corrupt practices sometimes hire journalists to do their hatchet job of putting the commission in bad light.
He said that these journalists have a habit of laying frivolous allegations accusing the commission of not adhering to the law in its operations.
“But, that is not true,” he stressed.
He explained further: “There is no agency that follows the law more than EFCC. None. Before we arrest you, or seize your property or do anything to you, we check the law, we go to court and get court order. That is why we are winning; that is why we are defeating them every day.”
Magu went on to seek the help and corporation of Nigerians to win the war on graft in the country.
He said: “We want the Nigerian people to continue to support us, continue to support Mr. President’s war on corruption.
“We have many corruption cases in court. We are getting them every day from everywhere and we are recovering stolen money and taking corrupt people to court.
“The money we have recovered and the money we are going to get back from them – billions and billions of Naira – is being paid back to government and will be used to do what it was originally meant for – to build hospitals, send our children to school, build roads and railways, create employment and defend our country.
“We have no other country than Nigeria. This war is the war of the people.
“Apart from the fear of God, we have no other fear. Apart from the interest of Nigeria, we have no other interest. And apart from the Rule of Law, we have no other rule guiding the work we are doing today. The days of impunity are over.
“Victory is certain for the common man! Aluta continua!”
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