EFCC Is Not Selective In Its Anti- Corruption War – Magu

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied claims that it was witch- hunting leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the anti-graft agency released Jafaru Isa, the chieftain of All Progressives Congress, but continued detention of Olisa Metuh, the PDP’s spokesman.

“If you are not corrupt, we will not have any cause to
invite you,” Ibrahim Magu said.
Ibrahim Magu, the EFCC boss, explained that Isa had
begun the process of refunding the money in his
possession, but Metuh had refused to do the same.
Premium Times reports that Magu was speaking at a
meeting with online media publishers on Monday, January
11, in Lagos.
”From the records, Metuh got over N400 million,
he has not said anything because we need the
public money to be returned so that it’s going to
be used for public good.
“Also Jafaru Isa, what Dasuki gave him was
N170 million. He also agreed…of course he has
collected that money, he was with us for 4-5
days and then he made a deposit of N100 million
and entered an undertaking to bring the rest.
That does not mean we will not prosecute him.”
“But this other Metuh, instead of going for a
refund, he has admitted he collected money…. so
instead of… he still has the money because the
money is too much. Instead of returning the
money, he preferred to go on strike,” he said.
Magu stressed that the anti-graft agency was not selective
in its anti-corruption war, and there was no witch-
hunting. He noted that only corrupt people are being
invited for questioning and added that in all the cases the
EFCC conducts preliminary investigation.
“If it is company you used, we unveil the profile
of the company to see who owns the company.
If it’s money, we make sure we follow the
money, in your account.
“So it is not true that we just go and carry people
and dump them. Sometimes you have to give
chance to the person accused to say his own
side of the story. And in the process the man will
disclose a lot of things that you may not know.
So it is very necessary for you to follow up on
the information received from the person
arrested, to strengthen whatever you have.
“We don’t keep people for more than 10-15
days. In fact, in most cases, we obtain relevant
court orders. In all cases, if you see we keep
somebody, there must be a supporting court
order.
“If you are not corrupt, we will not have any
cause to invite you. So we only invite corrupt
people, no selective,” he said.
At the event, Magu revealed that he had begun an internal
cleansing of the EFCC to get rid of corrupt operatives.
Although the EFCC chairman refused to disclose what the
commission was doing, he stressed that he would not work
with corrupt operatives.
“There is no moral justification to come and
make noise, and chase corrupt people when you
are yourself corrupt.
“We do not have sufficient personnel – lawyers,
detectives the way we want. But the little we
have we try to make use of whatever we can lay
our hands on,” he added.
During the meeting, Magu also explained why former
president Goodluck Jonathan has not been arrested over
$2.1 billion arms deal.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the PDP has told its
members involved in the controversial arms deal probe to
return the looted funds.