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Ibrahim Magu’s ‘Mago Mago’

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PDP,consensus candidate and its imminent failure

One got to hear these stories in hushed behind-the-cloak tones; that if you had an issue with the EFCC, for ‘something’, it would be solved. You didn’t have to even appear at the office. Following a request, either written or verbal, that all you need do is scan the letter and do what you have to do and all will be well.

You know you hear these stories and just turn the other ear. This is Nigeria, filial and tribal relationships muddle up the waters in the quest for justice, reforms or as in this case a fight against corruption. You make yourself believe that these stories, even if true, would not and cannot be institutionalized to the point where the very top man in the system is neck deep in it.

Last week, Nigerians woke up to the report of the ‘arrest’ and detention of Ibrahim Magu who until then was a poster boy for the administration’s fight against corruption. His tenor had been to say the least quite colorful and turbulent. He had been refused confirmation by the Saraki-led National Assembly and the Government stubbornly kept him despite a very damaging report from the DSS.

His style was ‘gangster’ as they say on the streets as targets were subjected to all sorts of trauma in a bid to show that the fight was being won. So, they announced the trillions recovered, chased fugitives who had gone abroad to hide and secure conviction of former governors and top players in the last administration, the stories still did not go away. The place was a cesspool and its leader had his hands tarnished. As much as they tried, the stories just didn’t go away. Far from mainstream though, it was still there making a mockery of the Buhari-led administration much vaunted war against corruption.

Read also: EFCC: The ‘Mugu’ in Magu!

Finally, the cup was full and Mr Magu found himself facing a strict panel whose mandate is very clear – get to the bottom of this. All sort has come out since then making the initial stories look like the proverbial tip of he iceberg and positioning Mr Magu within the pantheons of the greatest villains this country has ever seen, if convicted.

So, the question that needs to be answered at this point, is how can we strengthen our institutions to the point that the people who lead them would be subservient to the roles and procedures and not wonder around like giants in clay feet. Just as we were trying to make sense of this scandal, we were hit in the face by the former Acting Managing Director of the NDDC who has accused her supervisory Minister of all sorts.

When the institutions are being deliberately weakened for political and shallow reasons, we begin to get these types of behaviors. A Minister asking his MD to convert Dollar to Naira as alleged just like that? If this allegation is true then you can imagine that this is prevalent in all of our institutions making the so called war against corruption just a jingle that we would be playing as we await 2023

For Magu, I can only say well done. How could all these be possible? How could all these allegations be made and how could you continue to run this charade even under the watchful eyes of the DSS that had initially sent a powerful treatise against your confirmation and you still went ahead to build a structure of sleaze as alleged.

This just comes down to the errant nature of the administration in the first place. A centralized refocusing of power under the control of a loose authoritarian hold which allows for the building of tiny kingdoms ruled by midget despots. The kingdom of the EFCC has just had its leadership decapitated. Which one is next?

Not yet time for uhuru, my people.

Author: Joseph Edgar…

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