X-raying Magu’s stewardship at EFCC, by MESHACK TONY IDEHEN

For a man whose accomplishments as the world most famous anticorruption czar continues to baffle even his most ardent critics, Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), surely has his name firmly etched on the golden sands of time.
Magu took the challenge against Africa’s most deadly virus of corruption and economic crimes head on; doing so at a time when many Nigerians and the international community have almost given up redeeming the continent and Nigeria in particular from the curses and effects of the scourge of corruption and economic crimes.
However, Magu, less than three years after, is now a household name around the world, as the mere mention of his name is now enough to send shivers of fears and trepidations down the spines of the present and potentially corrupt.
Recently named the World’s Best Anti-Corruption Champion by United Kingdom based Global Peace Movement International and recognized by the African Union and the Commonwealth as an international model in combating corruption and economic crimes, Magu indeed will be a reference point for his work in the decades to come.
Since the creation of EFCC more than a decade ago, and with three past chairmen to boot, the commission has yet to receive the kind of accolades it is receiving under the current chairman, which naturally brings the question, what makes Magu tick? Dr Mike Uyi who is the President of Global Peace Movement International (UK), and whose campaign for good governance, human rights and anti-corruption has taken him round the world, put it succinctly when asked what makes the EFCC chairman tick.
“Under Ibrahim Mustafa Magu”, says Dr Uyi, simply, “the EFCC has recovered more loot since its establishment”.
That simple phrase captures what the EFCC is focused on, which is actualizing the corruption free Nigeria mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari, agreed Dr Queen Enyogai, a Nigerian American, when asked about why she thinks Magu ticks.
“Whatever anyone may think though, it is an undeniable record that Magu’s achievements as EFCC chairman have out-shined those of his predecessors that include Nuhu Ribadu, Farida Waziri and Ibrahim Lamorde”, she insisted.
According to Uyi, “Ibrahim Magu has achieved so much in terms of recovery of looted funds and properties in the past two years more than was achieved in the last 12 years of the existence of the commission.
Under him, every government official is under investigation, because the deadly virus of corruption which gave rise to the anti-corruption fight embarked upon by the Buhari government is total and geared towards bringing the nation’s economy back on a sound footing”.
According to the Global Peace Movement President, Magu is the only EFCC chairman that has gone ahead to create the department of internal affairs in the commission just to check corruption suspicions amongst staff, and charged with the responsibility of vetting intending staff, investigating staff, receiving petitions from the public concerning staff and making sure all members of staff are men of integrity, Another $43million was discovered in an apartment at Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos; recovery of over N27.7 billion from banks; Nigerian Ports Authority recovery of over €6.6 million, recovery of N1.1 billion naira on behalf of AMCON, and the recovery of subsidy fraud funds of over N4 billion.
“It takes only a man totally committed to eradicating corruption not to be tempted by these huge recoveries”, Uyi added., saying EFCC under Magu is the number one in Africa and the 11th Best AntiCorruption agency in the world.
“There is no gang up or conspiracy in the world that can stop or erase that reality”, the global peace movement international president said.
It is a testimonial of achievements as the EFCC raises the bar in convictions secured; looted funds recovered and retain status as an agency to be reckoned with, locally and internationally.
He said the anti-graft agency has, undoubtedly, altered the narrative of criminal prosecution in Nigeria, and set a standard for law enforcement agencies, within and outside of the country, saying what drives the EFCC chairman is the passion to do what is right by ensuring that corruption is brought to a standstill in this country.
The EFCC under Magu has continued to expand the frontiers of Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight.
Recently, Canada’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Christopher Thornley, expressed the resolve of the Canadian government to partner with the EFCC, in order to better represent itself in the global fight against corruption.
Canada said they have monitored Magu’s activities, and his commendable efforts in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
Same with the Chinese government.
L.I.
Xiaohong, Director at Vice-Minister Level of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Inspection Tours of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said they have heard a lot about Magu’s efforts in the fight against corruption and commended him for his doggedness in ensuring that he kicks corruption out of Nigeria.
Apart from Global Peace Movement International.
Media Against Impunity Nigeria, Organized Labour and Civil Society Groups have all found reason to support the fight against corruption, due to the proactive strides that Ibrahim Magu has brought to bear in the campaign.
“The EFCC has expanded its operational reach in the country, with the aim of reaching out to the grassroots, and to galvanize all segments of the society to own the anti-corruption crusade.
From six offices in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Gombe, and Port Harcourt; four new offices have been added – Ibadan, Kaduna, Edo, and Akwa Ibom, Dr Enyogai explained.
These collaboration and partnerships that Magu has put in place and which is evidently yielding results is because the EFCC chairman is humble and humane enough to acknowledge that EFCC alone cannot win the war as no one has the monopoly of knowledge on how the battle can be fought and won.
“We must all come together and strike a common consensus on how to confront and defeat this monster called corruption,” Magu always said.
For Magu, the EFCC is determined not to rest on its oars, because, “we believe there is still a lot to be done, even though, we have reached a level where nobody can stop us in the fight against corruption”.
Idehen writes from Abuja

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