Magu Deserves To Be Confirmed As Substantive EFCC Chairman – Itse Sagay

The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has said the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu should be appointed as the substantive chairman of the Commission.

This was revealed in Abuja on Wednesday by PACAC’s Chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay when he led his team on a solidarity visit to the EFCC boss at the Commission’s headquarters.

According to him, Magu merits the appointment.

His words, “When something is good; when you see high quality, merit, dedication, and somebody who is courageous in the fight against corruption, I think it will be stupid to say you are looking for something outside.

“This is not a turn-by-turn thing. It is a thing of merit. You must work for it and achieve it. In our view, the Acting Chairman deserves everything including his being given a substantive appointment.

“It is true one man cannot make a forest, but it takes a good man, a man of quality to bring out the best in any organisation, and that is what he represents – an uncompromising person.

“As far as corruption is concerned, no one have the courage in this country to offer him a bribe, because he or she knows the result will be a disaster. We are solidly behind Magu and the EFCC.”

“You cannot pick up a newspaper any day without you reading EFCC’s achievement in terms of charges, forfeiture of assets, convictions, among others.”

Magu also had this to say, “I assure you that so far as I am here as the chairman of the Commission, I will continue to do the right thing, and we will ensure the things we do are within the ambit of the law. We are trained to kill corruption.”

Do you agree?

Ibrahim Magu (born 5 May, 1962) is a Nigerian police officer who was appointed Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 09 November, 2015 after chairman Ibrahim Lamorde (who has earlier served twice) was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari. Both Lamorde and Magu served during Nuhu Ribadu’s time at the anti-graft agency and were also credited with part of the success Ribadu recorded in his time.

Magu was born on 5 May, 1962 in Maiduguri, Borno State. He attended Maiduguri’s primary school (from 1969 to 1975), Waka Biu’s Secondary School from 1975 to 1980 and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1982 to 1986 where he graduated with a B.Sc Accounting. After the completion of his National Youth Service Corps, he served in various Ministries and Departments in the Borno State Government as an Accountant and rose to become a Zonal Accountant before he voluntarily resigned to join the Nigeria Police Force as an Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1990. He was the Coordinator, Nigeria Police Building Society before moving on to Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) where he served as a team leader in charge of Financial Crimes, Money Laundering and Advance Fee Fraud investigation.

On 4 August 2008, he was arrested following allegations that police discovered EFCC files and a computer containing classified documents at his Abuja residence. Presently, he is a member of the investigative committee convened by National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the procurement of arms in the Armed Forces from 2007 till now.

Magu remains unconfirmed as the Chairman of EFFC which is one of the challenges and controversies being faced by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on appointments and nominations confirmation. The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Friday, 28 April 2018 announced the promotion of 18 senior officers after her 27th Plenary Meeting which ended in Abuja where Magu was promoted to the rank of a full commissioner from deputy commissioner.

At the end of the 8th Regional Conference of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Commonwealth Africa held at Transcorp Hilton (Abuja, Nigeria) on 19 May 2018, Magu has emerged their new chairman. His appointment was the highpoint of a five-day regional conference with the theme: “Partnering Towards Assets Recovery and Return”.