A Coalition of 24 Civil Society Organizations for Good Governance and Electoral Integrity in Nigeria, have reacted to the statement made by an Anti-graft group that “unceremonious” suspension of Magu as acting chairman of EFCC may roll back the momentous gains already recorded under his tenure.
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TheNigeriaLawyer(TNL), recalls that a letter was written to President Buhari, on the 9th July, signed by Lucas Manes of Re: Common, Nicholas Hildyard of Corner House, Simon Taylor of Globalwitness – all European organisations – and Olanrewaju Suraju of the HEDA in Nigeria, lamenting over Magu’s suspension, noting that his “political” removal questioned Nigeria’s will to deal with a major cause of the country’s underdevelopment which is corruption.
“The procedures are clearly being hijacked by detractors of Magu in the political space and this is eroding the potential credibility of the outcome of the panel constituted to probe these allegations. The hounding of Magu through seemingly politically connected sponsored media harassment only makes matters worse”.
Reacting to the above statement Coalition of 24 Civil Society Organizations for Good Governance and Electoral Integrity in Nigeria, through the Executive director of Ambassadors for Accountability, AAI, COMR. OGALAGU AMAECHI O, and the Executive director of NACCRAN, HAJIA ZAINAB MOHAMMED, stated that the global anti-corruption international groups faulted steps by the federal government of Nigeria’s efforts through the Justice Salami’s Presidential Panel to ascertain the culpability of the former Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu in the allegations of corruption and insubordination leveled against him by the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
“The so-called international anti-corruption group, through our findings, were assembled by their Nigerian friends to do a hatchet job of blackmailing President Buhari’s anti-corruption war. These Nigerian friends who invited these ‘Oyibos’ are accomplices to the allegations leveled against Ibrahim Magu as their mission is very clear, to rubbish the creative initiatives of the
Hon. Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, discharging his duties efficiently.
“The same people have been sponsoring malicious publications against the Hon. Minister, using a notorious online paper known for doing hatchet jobs through blackmails.
“Genuine anti-corruption fights are not selective and this is what the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari has demonstrated by allowing one of his chief security heads to be investigated. If such weighty allegations by the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation is considered inconsequential by this purported international anti-corruption group, then it is very clear that the group is not in the status of anti-corruption fighting organizations.
“They are commercial blackmailers usually paid to do such jobs and that suggests what their mission in all these entails,” they said.
The further advised Nigerians, who usually internationalizes domestic issues very negatively at the slighted prompt to discontinue from such practices because it dents the image of the country overseas to the detriment of all Nigerians.
“The ongoing investigation of Magu and his cohorts still remain in the realms of allegation. But applying measures of blackmail against Malami and destroying of sources of evidence, as witnessed by some persons who broke into NFIU at night to destroy and cart away computers with vital information regarding this Magu’s case, is a clear indication that some people are indeed trying to obstruct investigation to cover up their crimes.
“Nicholas Hildyard of Corner House, Simon Taylor of Globalwitness – all European organisations – and Olanrewaju Suraju of the HEDA in Nigeria should all bury their faces in shame. How can a supposedly anti-corruption group allow themselves to be used to do a cash and carry dirty job? Indeed, the fight against is also compromised by Oyibos. This portends danger for the world and every Nigerian must resist it.
“Magu was dear to President Muhammadu Buhari as he sent his name twice to National Assembly for confirmation, despite his rejection yet Mr. President left him to act as the Chairman of the EFCC for five years.
“The fact that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the investigation of Magu is a pointer to his maxim of belonging to nobody and belonging to everybody. It shows an impartial and non-subjective approach with no sacred cows.
“The President could have announced his outright sack as an appointee of the government in an acting capacity.
“However, Mr. President gave him fair hearing by constituting a probe panel aimed at giving Magu opportunity to clear his name.
“Magu and co should be properly investigated and charged to court if prima facia case is established against,” they added.
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