Buhari Orders EFCC to Probe His Ministers, Others

Ibrahim Magu, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), has said that his agency has the mandate of the federal government to investigate and prosecute every government official, including ministers, irrespective of political party affiliations.

Magu, who stated this in Kaduna, said the mandate was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s measures towards winning the war against corruption.

He said that, “every government official is under investigation without them knowing it.”

He said this during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the National Union of Textiles and Garment Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), in Kaduna.

However, Magu dispelled insinuations in some quarters that EFCC operations was one-sided in the fight against corruption.

“We have course to investigate; in fact, we are investigating those in government without them knowing. Not only that, the president has given me the mandate to investigate every corrupt Nigerian leader irrespective of his political affiliation. I don’t think we have the monopoly of knowledge to tackle corruption. But, more than that, the fight against corruption is designed and structured to boost confidence in the economy as well as to attract investors both within and outside the country,” Magu added.

The EFCC boss also described corruption as a crime against humanity.

He said, before now, there was no hope for Nigeria, but President Buhari had shown “demonstrable political” will to deal with corruption.

“Corruption affects everybody, that is why everyone is a major stakeholder in the fight. That is why I have the passion, zeal and courage to lead the fight against corruption,” Magu said.