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‘The fact that I am not confirmed shows I am working’- Magu

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As Magu maintains defiance against House over Mrs Jonathan, Reps order his arrest

Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, says the fact that he was yet to be confirmed by the Nigerian Senate was proof that he was doing his work well.

The senate had on two different occasions refused to confirm Magu as the substantive chairman of the commission, citing a report of the Department of State Services (DSS) which it said disqualified him.

Speaking on Question Time, a programme on Channels Television, Magu said contrary to popular perception, he was not worried by the confirmation delay, but was rather encouraged by it.

“I don’t think it (non-confirmation) has given the public a cause for concern. I think it is a lot of encouragement. The fact that I am not confirmed shows I am working. Really,”he said.

“In the anti-corruption environment, if they rush to confirm you, it means you are not doing your work properly.”

Asked why he was the first to have his confirmation delayed for so long, Magu said, “No problem. Maybe the others are happy. Because a number of the people we are investigating are also in the national assembly.

“I am not completely distracted. It is not an issue. Rather, it gives me courage. You wake up in the morning and see some terrible publications about you. Despite all these, we are determined to go ahead.

Read also: My govt not like Jonathan’s, others where trucks of fertilizer disappear —Buhari

“I cannot be distracted with those things. Nobody can purchase me, I cannot compromise what I am doing.”

Magu also said he was not in support of the separation of the  Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) from the EFCC.

He claimed that the suspension of the NFIU from Ergmont group was being politicised.

“The best financial intelligent units in the world are the ones that are domiciled in law enforcement agencies,” he said.

“Do you think if they put financial intelligence that is totally independent, do you think the banks will listen to it?

“They listen to it because of its affinity to the EFCC.”

 

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