Of Senate and EFCC boss

I am constrained to write the leadership of Nigeria’s Upper Chamber, the Senate under the leadership of Dr Bukola Saraki on the issue of the confirmation of Mr Ibrahim  Magu as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

We all condemn corruption in its entirety. Corruption is a big problem in Nigeria. But the EFCC boss would seem to have a special interest only in allegedly corrupt opposition politicians in Nigeria.  Many opposition politicians have been subjected to public ridicule after the EFCC slammed various charges on them, but the EFCC boss would appear to have brushed aside the allegations levelled against people like the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Tukur Buratai, by members of the civil society groups.

Buratai was accused of having multi-million naira houses in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contrary to the laws of the land. Petitions were forwarded to the EFCC on him, and the commission was expected to investigate Buratai’s properties in Dubai. It was also expected to investigate the allegations made against some members of the Federal Executive Council. After all, he that comes to equity must come with clean hands.

The First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, also told the public that food items belonging to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country were diverted by some powerful and untouchable persons, but the EFCC boss did not act on this. Why is this so?

Magu was apparently  very eager to act in the cases of former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; former Aviation Minister, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode and others.  However, Nigerians are aware that it is not only members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that are allegedly corrupt. We expect him to go after members of the ruling party who have been accused of corruption with the same zeal with which he is quick to arrest and prosecute allegedly corrupt PDP members. He should not appear to be only interested in threatening PDP members. How many members of the ruling party have been arrested in the premises of a court, immediately after a sitting.

The present administration should not shield any corrupt All Progressives Congress (APC) member from being probed. The Senate should not confirm Magu as EFCC chairman, because the perception is that he is being used to witch-hunt opposition members, and perception matters a lot. In the police where Magu comes from, there are many corrupt officers, but how many of their cases have been handled by EFCC? President Muhammadu Buhari cannot be expected to tell Magu what he ought to do on the petitions filed by aggrieved Nigerians; it is Magu’s job to act on all cases and ensure that the commission is fair in its dealings. Magu should be allowed to go back to the police force.

Jimoh Mumin

Ibadan