Corrupt elements were also threatening the lives of those at the vantage position of waging the crusade
By Bashir Mohammed, Kano and Joshua Egbodo, Abuja
Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu has accused looters of the nation’s treasury of being responsible for the dastardly off ensive launched by the Boko Haram elements and the raging separatists’ movements, seeking to divide the country. He made the accusation at the weekend, during a stakeholders’ forum organised for Civil Society Organisations held at the Commission’s Zonal offi ce in Kano. Magu said resorting to such a dirty trick was borne out of the looters’ frustration in the face of the EFCC’s relentless off ensive against their exploits, adding that the blood of innocent citizens had been spilled for the looters’ game plan to succeed. According to him, with the anti-graft war being fought at all fronts, corruption was also fi ghting back as a result of the evil machination of looters of the nation’s treasury to create obstacles for those saddled with the task of calling their bluff . Magu also claimed that the corrupt elements were also threatening the lives of those at the vantage position of waging the crusade. As one saddled with the task of fi ghting graft in high places, the EFCC chair said he was inspired to wage the battle to a logical conclusion, knowing that the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari had given him the much-needed support to forge ahead, stressing that without such support, the eff ort would be a nullity. He further said the right time to fi ght corruption to a standstill was now, affi rming that having been endowed with the right leadership in place, Nigerians were poised to benefi t from the Buhari administration’s spirit of courage in confronting the menace. Th e stakeholders’ forum, he said, was convened to engage members of respective CSOs to know their worth in joining the anti-graft body to expose the culprits sabotaging the nation’s quest to move forward at the time when many nations in the world had eff ected some giant strides in that regard. He posited that the EFCC alone cannot be everywhere as the horizon of the war was wide and vast, stressing however that with the CSOs joining the crusade in creating awareness and exposing culprits, the objective of ensuring a corruption-free society can be achieved. ‘Amnesty Bill‘ll fail’ Meanwhile, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the United States, Nigeria Relations, Hon. Johnson Agbonayinma has vowed that himself and other like-minded members of the House, will tear to shreds the proposed Bill seeking amnesty for treasury looters when the debate comes up. Agbonayinma, who represents Egor Ikpoba/Okha Federal Constituency of Edo State, disclosed this in a chat with journalists over the weekend. He said: “We, the 360 members in the House will mobilise against the bill and ensure that it is buried immediately it is introduced on the fl oor of the House”. Describing it as retrogressive, the lawmaker said, “I can assure you of that because such a satanic bill can never be allowed to sail through as its output will be retroactive and will further encourage corruption that has eaten so deep into the fabric of our society. “As for those peddling rumours that the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara is the one behind it, they should shut their traps because Dogara cannot support a bill that will be counterproductive in Nigeria”. Speaking further, Agbonayinma explained that “many Nigerians have been jailed for stealing just N1000.00 and we are proposing a bill that will further promote corruption. No way, it can’t happen as we can’t make separate laws for treasury looters in this country.” A CSO, SERAP, had in an open letter to Speaker Yakubu Dogara last week, through its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the House should allow justice and accountability to run their course in corruption cases. “Th e proposed law, promoted by Mr Linus Okorie (PDP Ebonyi), expected that suspected looters of the public treasury would enjoy full and complete amnesty; not face any probe, inquiry or prosecution; and ‘shall not be compelled to disclose the source of their looted funds’ as long as they invest their wealth in Nigeria. “Th e amnesty bill for suspected looters unquestionably confl icts with Nigeria’s obligations under the UN Convention Against Corruption to establish territorial criminal jurisdiction over corrupt acts, prosecute off enders, and apply prescribed sanctions through fair trial”, he stated in the letter.
