Magu’s fate a moral disaster on anti-corruption crusade —Falana

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has described the ongoing probe of Ibrahim Magu as a moral disaster on the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Magu, the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being probed by a Presidential Panel over allegation of corruptions levelled against him.

He was suspended as the EFCC chief on Tuesday, even as investigations into his alleged offences continue.

However, Falana, who spoke on Wednesday in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, regretted Magu’s travail, describing it as an anti-climax for the suspended EFCC’s boss.

He said, “Even though Mr Ibrahim Magu is presumed innocent of all the allegations levelled against him, it is an anti-climax for an anti-corruption czar to be linked to a miasmal of corrupt practices.

“No doubt the fate that has befallen Magu so far, for me it is indeed a moral disaster on the anti-corruption crusade.

Therefore, the ongoing investigation should be a wake-up call on the Federal Government to embark on a comprehensive cleaning exercise. Otherwise, the investigation will be a selective exercise in futility.

Read also: Falana also disassociates self from new political movement, NCF

“The Federal Government owes the public duty, particularly that institution, if it is confirmed that Mr Magu has been asked to step aside.

“There has to be a follow-up of the law establishing the agency, the top-most officer in the agency should be asked to act for him (Magu).”

According to Falana, if at the end it was confirmed that Magu had been suspended or found guilty of the allegations levelled against him, the Buhari’s government should not make the mistake of appointing an outsider to head the EFCC in acting capacity.

He said this was to make sure that the name of person nominated to replace the embattled EFCC’s boss could easily be sent to the National Assembly for confirmation.

Falana, meanwhile, appealed to the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel probing Magu to ensure thorough investigation into the allegations of corrupt practices slammed on the EFCC chief.

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