The renewed war against corruption in the last 15 months of the Buhari administration is heating up the polity in such a way that it will take only saints to survive the intrigues emanating from the push. Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission[EFCC] ,Ibrahim Magu, must be feeling the smoke more than many envisaged.
The heat on Magu is not all about the All Progressives Congress [APC] slogan of Corruption Fighting Back. Those who looted Nigeria’s treasury will not sit aside and allow themselves to be thrown into the stinking jailhouses which are populated majorly by compatriots who were forced into crime by their maladministration.
The EFCC boss is in for a long drawn battle with members of the Nigeria Bar Association [NBA] following a press statement from the agency in response to the Inaugural speech of the new President of the NBA, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud. Mahmoud said: “ I strongly recommend that the EFCC be limited to investigation… while prosecution should be handled by an independent resource prosecution agency.”
That was at the end of the 56th Annual Conference of the NBA which took place in Port Harcourt. The EFCC replied in less than 48 hours.
In a statement, the agency said: “Mahmoud’s suggestions appear perfectly in sync with a cleverly disguised campaign by powerful forces that are uncomfortable with the reinvigorated anti-graft campaign of the EFCC and are hellbent on emasculating the agency by stripping it of powers to prosecute with the lame excuse that an agency that investigates cannot also prosecute.”
The statement went far in ridiculing members of the legal profession. “A Bar populated or directed by people perceived to be rogues and vultures cannot play the role of priests in the temple of justice’’, it added.
Lawyers across the country have come out in full force against Magu and are demanding an unreserved apology from him. While the constitution guarantees the right of every citizen to free speech, we believe public officers should not make unguarded statements.
Magu as boss of the EFCC is expected to talk less and work more behind the scene. It is not part of the training he received even as police officer to trade words in the course of investigation or any other assignment.
There is no doubt that some lawyers have entered the bad books of Nigerians for their roles in defending some of those who have sabotaged this country through financial crimes. We must also be mindful of the fact that an accused is presumed innocent until found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. Even criminals are entitled to legal representation.
It is therefore constitutional for lawyers to defend their clients. We believe that such blanket comments should not come from the high office of the EFCC Chairman. He has lawyers working for the Agency and those harsh words also mean that the learned men under his nose are “perceived to be rogues and vultures.”
That will tantamount to one poking fingers in his own eyes. The EFCC may see the reinvigorated anti-graft campaign from their own perspective.
There are those who feel that it is not a fair war. There are questions about probing the campaign finances of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] while leaving out the source of fund for the ruling APC during the drive to chase PDP away from the Presidency.
The same script that seems to be playing out today under him remind many of the days of pioneer Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, whose job was to harass opponents of then President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The moment Magu frees himself from the perception that only those who are not in President Muhammadu Buhari’s party are fit for investigation, his perceived detractors will hide their faces in shame. Nigeria needs strong institutions, not leaders. Magu should learn from the Ribadu experience. While in office, Ribadu had every opportunity to stand tall on the podium of excellence.
That was not to be as the EFCC became Ribadu, personalized, instead of an anti-graft agency. Magu has a bright future and the accolades are pouring. One came from an American, Diberg McRailey . According to him: “We are immeasurably impressed by the performance of Mr. Ibrahim Magu- the head of the Nigerian anti-graft agency. We’re pleased that he has improved upon the feats of Mr. Nuhu Ribadu. He is a good choice by President Muhammadu Buhari.
We’ll like to see him here, encourage President Muhammadu Buhari to bring in more Magus into the Nigerian anti-graft crusade. With Magu in charge at the EFCC, Nigeria is sure to put corruption behind her as a matter of necessity.”
We urge Magu to do more in the fight against corruption by restricting himself to the job and distancing the agency from the politics of politicians in government. Let his work speak for him, there should be no room for grandstanding. Magu’s profile is tall enough to keep his head high.
