Despite Senate’s rejection, Magu to speak at ti’s London Conference 21 March

DESPITE being rejected by the Senate as the substantive chairman of the country’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Transparency International and Global Watch, two leading international anti-corruption organisations, have invited Ibrahim Magu to speak at an international conference on money laundering and assets recovery in London.

Magu was rejected for the second time by the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly on Wednesday following the Department of State Services (DSS) reaffirmed position that the acting EFCC chairman is a liability to the anti-corruption campaign of the President Muhammadu Buhari as he lacks integrity.

The Senate had on 15 December, 2015 rejected to confirm Magu’s nomination as EFCC chairman based on the DSS’s report sent to the National Assembly on the presidential committee but was renominated by the President after being cleared by the report of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), who was directed to investigate the allegation leveled against Magu by the DSS.

A statement made available to Saturday Tribune by EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, yesterday, informed that Magu was expected to deliver a paper, entitled, “Give Us Our Money Back – Nigeria’s Fight Against Corruption: A Critical Conversation”, at the conference billed for 21 March, 2017.

According to the statement, Magu’s invitation by the Global Witness and Transparency International was in recognition of the invaluable role the Magu-led EFCC had played in his more than one year in office in recovery of stolen funds.

The international conference, which is coming on the heels of the 2016 London Anti-Corruption Summit, will focus on the progress of Nigeria’s asset recovery and anti-corruption efforts as well as feature a panel discussions for “critical exchange of views” between officials and non-government experts from Nigeria and the United Kingdom.