EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu, vows to recover all stolen arms money

Ibrahim Magy (EFCC Boss)

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has vowed that the commission under his leading would recover all public funds stolen in the guise of arms procurement in Nigeria.

Mr. Magu, who said the EFCC was making progress in the ongoing investigation, promised that all culprits in the arms procurement scandal would be brought to justice.

The EFCC acting chairperson spoke in Abuja on Wednesday at the commemoration of the International Anti-corruption Day which had as theme, “Break the Corruption Chain”.

“Corruption is like a chain whose effect impacts various aspects of the society, undermines democracy and the rule of law, distorts markets, erodes quality of life, leads to human rights violations and fans the embers of terrorism and other threats to human security,” Mr. Magu said.

He said the EFCC had resolved to break the corruption chain in a fair, accountable and transparent manner, stating that the Commission had so far investigated a total of 1,881 cases within 2015 alone.

According to him, “Out of this figure, 280 cases were filed in courts and 78 convictions were secured. In this period also, eight interim and two final forfeiture orders were handed down by various courts on applications brought by the Commission.”

The EFCC boss further stressed that he had put in place machinery to sanitise the Commission internally.

He also expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for creating an enabling environment for the Commission to carry out its mandate, adding that he would undertake institutional reforms to increase the Commission’s capacity to fight corruption.

He, therefore, urged civil society organizations as well as other partners to join hands with the Commission in the anti-corruption fight.

“Our common resolve is far stronger than the challenges we face in the fight against corruption,” the EFCC boss said. “I call on you to embrace the EFCC’s public enlightenment campaigns, the activities of our Zero Tolerance Clubs in tertiary institutions and our inter-faith initiatives because in this effort to break the corruption chain, no man is an island and only when we work together can we make a difference.”