Defection can’t protect corrupt politicians from EFCC prosecution – Magu

Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, in a media interaction with editors in Lagos on Wednesday, declared that there is no hiding place for politicians who defects from one party to the other, essentially, to ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the fight against corruption by EFCC. The EFCC boss maintained that politicians defecting from one party to another would not be shielded from prosecution by the Commission. He stated that only the court has the power to exonerate anyone.
Magu had declared: “The fact that a politician jumps from one party to another will not stop EFCC investigation; we don’t stop investigation until it is concluded.
“It is only the courts that have the powers to decide on whether to exonerate or convict any indicted politician.”
On alleged influence by the ruling APC, Magu stated that he had never received any instruction to stop any investigation.
“I am not the type you’ll ask to stop any investigation”, Magu insisted.
The EFCC boss noted that it had become fashionable for anyone being investigated for corruption by the Commission to scream political persecution. He appealed to the media that they owe Nigeria a duty not to allow the corrupt to deploy their ill-gotten riches to corner the machinery of government, therefore, requesting the media not to lend their platforms to helping the cause of the corrupt that are shedding crocodile tears.
Magu declared: “With the general elections fast approaching, the resistance has assumed even frightening dimension with political motives imputed to most of our activities.
“We must all do what is right for our country, which is ensuring that those who steal our common patrimony are brought to justice.”
Magu further remarked that the EFCC has so far revealed only about 10 per cent of the monumental corruption perpetrated in the past and urged all security agencies to prioritize anti-graft fight.
“You have not seen anything yet, we have not even touched 10 per cent of corruption perpetrated in the past,” he noted.
The EFCC Chairman lamented the state of confiscated assets which were rotting away at various locations across the country. He disclosed that EFCC has signed agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Mauritius in its efforts to recover looted assets.
Magu further revealed that EFCC has recovered a total of N106.5 billion, $1.63 million, 629,000 British Pounds and 25,575 Euros this year.
He was optimistic that the Commission would exceed the record of 189 convictions achieved in 2017, when added the over 158 convictions secured between January and August this year.