EFCC to repatriate 18 high-profile looters from abroad this year – Magu

The Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, said on Tuesday the Commission has concluded plans to repatriate 18 identified high- profile looters hiding in other parts of the world this year.

Magu, who visited the Ilorin, Kwara State, zonal office of the EFCC, told journalists the anti-graft agency would go after looters of the nation’s treasury this year because the fight against corruption has received a huge boost from the Federal Government.

Although the EFCC boss did not disclose the identities of the so-called high-profile looters of the nation’s assets, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, featured prominently on the list of corrupt former public officers the Commission is working hard to bring to book over alleged money laundering and other related crimes.

Alison-Madueke, who fled the country in 2015, was reportedly arrested by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) in London, along with four other people on suspicion of bribery and corruption.

However, a spokesperson for the police denied having any knowledge of the incident.

The EFCC also raided the ex-minister’s home in Asokoro, Abuja, a few hours after her alleged arrest in London.

The Federal High Court, Abuja, in August 2017 seized N7.6 billion ($21 million) from bank accounts linked to Alison-Madueke

The EFCC chief said: “The fight against corruption has just started. It has been renewed this year and it is going to be serious henceforth.

“We will repatriate all looters hiding anywhere in the world. I think there are about 18 of them; I mean high- profile looters.”

Magu also told journalists that he was unperturbed about his status as acting chairman, adding that he will continue to work hard for the country.

’’I feel good as an acting chairman. I’m performing and so I’m not worried,” he concluded.

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