SCARS™ Special Report: Nigerian EFCC Collapses Without Director Magu!?

Nigeria’s Economic & Financial Crimes Commission is Gutted!

After three years of amazing progress and world-class partnerships, the Acting Director of the EFCC is removed from office because of the raw power of criminals connected to the Nigerian Government.

What was a perfect template on eradicating corruption and large scale-crime in Africa, is now falling apart without Magu?

We hope that the EFCC finds it footing again quickly. We would like to continue working with their new management. Our previous relationship yielded many positive results.

According to news sources:

Suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has raised the alarm that suspects and other criminal elements he prosecuted were after him.

Magu made the claim in a response addressed to the Presidential Committee On Audit Of Recovered Assets (PCARA) investigating the mismanagement and lack of transparency in managing recovered assets by the EFCC between 2015-2020.

The result? A Broken EFCC!?

He said while in office, his actions were geared towards fighting corruption to a standstill in the country, but lamented that his traducers were out to tarnish his reputation by publishing false information about him on social media platforms.

Details of a petition submitted to the investigative panel by Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, claimed that the lack of proper record-keeping and discrepancies in the recovery figures was a dent on the anti-corruption drive as well as raising integrity issues that can lead to loss of public confidence.

“For instance, EFCC stated 836 as the number of recovered real estate in the original returns it made to Mr. President on 07/04/2017. However, in its 1st returns to PCARA on 13/12/2017, EFCC gave the figure of 339, while in the 2nd returns to PCARA on 09/03/2018, it stated the recoveries to be 504. The 1st and 2nd returns total 843,” part of the petition written by Malami read.

Magu in his response to the panel said: “In the exercise of my official functions as acting chairman of the Commission, I have stepped on toes in ensuring that corruption is fought to a standstill in Nigeria.

“Some of the suspects under investigation and prosecution are always ganging up to fight me back, publishing false, untrue, malicious and libellous allegations against me. I have never abused the office I am occupying at the pleasure of Mr. President.

“I have never personally enriched myself whilst performing my official function. I challenge my accusers to produce any evidence of this purported personal enrichment,” Magu said.

Arguing further, he claimed that under his watch, there were no cases of mismanagement of recovered assets or funds.

“No assets were sold and the proceeds thereof converted. There has been no mismanagement of or lack of transparency in the management of recovered assets under my leadership of the Commission. There has been no diversion of proceeds from recovered assets or personal enrichment on my part. A careful investigation into what has been recovered and what has been paid into the appropriate accounts will easily confirm this.

“I unequivocally deny these allegations as same are untrue and merely calculated to tarnish my name, that of the Commission, and the giant strides this administration has recorded in the fight against corruption and recovery of the proceeds of corruption. Not a dime of the recovered funds were converted to my personal use. I challenge my accusers to produce evidence of such fraudulent conversion. All my actions are documented and follow the prescribed procedures with necessary approvals. I am innocent. I have served my country to the best of my abilities with all sense of responsibility and integrity.

“The records of achievements to the glory of God and this administration are there for all to see. I respectfully invite the panel to note the stellar and unprecedented achievements of the EFCC under my watch as the acting Chairman,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ongoing probe has entered a critical stage, with senior lawyers familiar with Magu’s handling of EFCC dealings, testifying against the embattled anti-corruption czar.

“The panel has invited people having issues with Magu. They include a former Executive Director with a first-generation bank and two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) familiar with the development,” a source told Daily Sun.

“The panel also invited an EFCC official who is under investigation over a huge amount in his account and for traveling to Lebanon to meet a suspect under an ongoing investigation. These four individuals were invited by the panel and they testified against Magu. The EFCC operative under investigation also testified against Magu. More people are expected to come after the Sallah break,” the source said.

Additionally …

Panel rejects Magu’s written defense as more EFCC officials, senior lawyers testify against him!

The Presidential Committee On Audit Of Recovered Assets (PCARA) investigating the mismanagement and lack of transparency in managing recovered assets by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has rejected a written defense by the suspended acting chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu.

This came as the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, directed the recall of some officers attached to the Commission. It was learned that about 20 zonal and sectional heads were affected by the recall.

Even The Nigerian President Is Eager To Get Rid Of Him!

Buhari gives his appointed panel a45-day ultimatum!

President Muhammadu Buhari (who himself has been under investigation for fraud) has ordered the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel of inquiry investigating suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to submit a report of its findings within 45 days from the day it began work.

It is not certain if the numbers of days already spent by the panel, so far, would be deemed as part of the 45-day timeline as the panel has been sitting in private, barring journalists from covering its proceedings, a source said.

In what many have described as a critical stage in the ongoing investigation, Buhari has also approved the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Enquiry under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act (Cap T21, LFN, 2004) to investigate the alleged financial impropriety and mismanagement of recovered assets leveled against Magu.

Magu’s woes began over a month ago when he was confronted in front of the Wuse II office of the EFCC and compelled to appear before the panel.  He was initially detained for several days before he was granted administrative bail. Since his release, he has repeatedly maintained his innocence despite mounting ‘incriminating’ evidence.

Already, key witnesses including staff of the EFCC, senior lawyers, and others have testified against him.

Our Analysis

In our opinion that is how corrupt Nigerian officials get even with an effective crime fighter.

At this stage, the EFCC is leaderless and in conversations with several EFCC contacts, most of the programs and directions are in chaos.

However, we hope the the EFCC’s governing board establishes a new management team and continues their work.

This could not come at a worse time as global cybercrimes origination from Nigeria are at an all-time high point. Now with the collapse of the EFCC as an effective law enforcement agency that was never afraid to take on the largest cybercriminals, what can we expect? The EFCC is now broken and in disarray. Will it recover, or will the more-corrupt Nigerian Police, who have been in a turf war with the EFCC for years, will now become the only option?

We will wait to see what the results of these changes are.

TAGS: SCARS, Nigeria, Nigerian Corruption, Acting Director Magu, President Muhammadu Buhari,  Economic & Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu

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