Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has declared that the anti-graft agency was set to repatriate 18 high profiled looters hiding in different parts of the world.
Speaking with journalists during a visit to the Ilorin zonal office of the EFCC, Magu assured Nigerians that the Commission would pursue anti-graft war with a renewed vigour this year.
He said: “We will repatriate all looters hiding anywhere in the world. I think there are about 18 of them; I mean high profiled looters.
“This is just the beginning. We will request more extradition to bring back all the looters who are hiding outside this country. The fight against corruption has just started. It’s a renewed fight this year. It’s going to be bigger.”
Magu, who explained that the EFCC alone cannot fight corruption in the land, solicited cooperation of all Nigerians in the crusade, saying “more so when some people do not believe that corruption is wrong.
“We rely on you media to help carry on activities on sensitisation and mobilisation against corruption”.
The EFCC boss said that there would be a massive and aggressive campaign against corruption, “starting mid February this year in all states of the federation with use of serving corps members, in particular, as well as youth and civil society organisations”.
Magu, who debunked insinuation that the EFCC was established in Ilorin, Kwara State because of the immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki, pointed out that “It’s not true and it’s not fair. See, Kwara State is one of the oldest states in the North Central geopolitical zone. It deserves a headquarters of the EFCC. People should be protesting why the EFCC was not brought here earlier”.
He says no ongoing corruption cases across the country would be abandoned midway, assuring that suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations on such cases were completed.
He, however, sought the cooperation of the Nigerian media to enable the agency succeed in its efforts at making Nigeria corruption free.
“We need the cooperation of the media in making Nigeria corruption free. EFCC cannot do it alone,” Magu said.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
