Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has alleged that some state governors were now afraid of organising flamboyant parties because of the commission’s “eagle eyes”.
Magu spoke yesterday during his working visit to the commission’s zonal office in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
The acting chairman noted that some of the governors were maintaining low profile to avoid attracting the attention of the anti-graft agency, adding that the development was due to the fact that whenever the governors contravened the law, EFCC would come after them, as they were always on the commission’s radar, both within and outside the country.
“EFCC is all eyes and ears. Wherever and whenever they organise such ostentatious parties, they will be fished out and prosecuted; be it within or outside the country,” Magu said.
The acting EFCC chairman assured the nation that the commission would not relent in its efforts at curbing the excesses of public office holders, saying necessary strategic plans had been put in place and were expected to yield results in the fight against corruption.
According to Magu, even though corruption is deep-rooted in the country, the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government is yielding results.
Magu said the task of fighting corruption was very complex and sophisticated, as organised criminal gangs were daily devising new high-tech means of perpetrating fraud and other criminal activities.
The acting chairman further said that the agency, in its quest for success, was always ahead of the fraudsters and criminals in their activities.
He added that the commission had recorded tremendous achievements through its whistle-blowing policy.
“Whistle blowing is working very well and we are paying. What delays the payments sometimes are the rudiments of the courts,” he said.
Magu disclosed that the commission recovered millions of naira from members of the Eighth Benue State House of Assembly who were allegedly involved in strange car deals.
He said that the commission was still investigating some of the legislators. The anti-graft boss, however, described corruption as a cankerworm that had eaten deep into the country’s fabric.
He appealed to journalists to join the fight against corruption in the country, using their investigative expertise.
Magu also added that EFCC had been intensifying efforts to clamp down on internet fraudsters, stressing that its joint operations with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation was yielding results.
He said the massive crackdown on internet fraudsters (popularly called Yahoo-Yahoo boys) nationwide was still ongoing.
BusinessDay recalls that FBI and the EFCC had, at a joint press conference in September, announced that 167 people had been arrested in Nigeria and 74 in the U.S. watch list for internet fraud.
Some weeks after, the U.S. officials released a list of Nigerians suspected to be behind online scams.
The FBI’s “sweep” operation, along with EFCC, had since May focused on dismantling the cybercrime enterprises.
Also, Magu said there was no political inclination in the agency’s war against corruption.
He said the anti-graft agency would go after any corrupt person, no matter his status in the society.
The EFCC helmsman said two governors have been convicted and that they are all chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Addressing journalists after his official visit to EFCC office in Makurdi, Magu explained that before anyone is invited for questioning, a thorough investigation would have been carried out to determine the individual’s level of complicity in the indictment.
The acting chairman said corruption has reduced drastically as governors no longer embezzle funds with impunity, like before, where they held lavish, wild birthday parties abroad.
On his mission to Benue State, Magu said it was to boost the war against corruption, adding that journalists should partner the commission to enable it win the war.
The acting chairman said the journey had been smooth for the anti-graft agency.
According to him, one of EFCC’s recent achievements is reducing the activities of internet fraudsters, popularly called “Yahoo boys”, especially in the Southwest and Southeast.
Magu said the anti-graft agency had made so many arrests and got a good number of convictions.
He described corruption as a global disaster, adding that the whistle-blowing system of the commission was paying off, but that it only takes a long time because of the court processes.
BENJAMIN AGESAN Makurdi
