An inter-agency investigative panel headed by former Court of Appeal President, Ayo Salami appears to be investigating Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu. The panel reportedly interrogated Magu at the Presidential Villa after picking him from the EFCC office in Abuja on Monday, July 6. Magu has been reportedly suspended pending the decision of the panel. News reports state that Magu, who has in recent times been in tussle with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami is being interrogated with respect to several allegations including:
- Inability to provide proper record and reconciliation on EFCC recovered funds and properties
- Focused use of media trial rather than diligent prosecution of suspects
- Controversy over sale of seized assets and insubordination to the Attorney General of the Federation. Magu was reportedly interrogated and held overnight at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) headquarters of the Nigeria Police in Abuja. It is unclear the purpose of his interrogation beyond the adduced reasons. What is clear however, is that in addition to the subject of investigation, politics rings.
Observers worry however, that Mr. Magu’s interrogation outside of the well established process of investigation does not help in strengthening the institutional capacities of organisations charged with the task of curbing corruption. The National Assembly which is also charged with oversight of the EFCC is not known to have played any role in bringing the EFCC within the ambits of its oversight responsibilities. Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts has hardly made any progress despite the huge noise around it. Anti-corruption agencies in the country have been accused of being selective and sometimes engaged in political vendetta and pursuit of administration enemies. Mr. Magu has been acting as EFCC Chairman since November 2015, a period longer than the term of office of a substantive EFCC Chairman. The Senate refused to confirm him when his nomination was put forward by the President in 2016. Several attempts made by different interests and power blocs of Nigeria’s politics have failed to remove him. It is unclear how far this new fight and squabble within the power circles would go, in forcing his exit. Nigerians are watching.