Fraud allegations: PDP charges FG to arraign suspended Ag EFCC Chair, Magu now,

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to arraign suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu in court as a demonstration of its commitment to the fight against corruption.

Advertisements

Recall that operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, last week picked up Magu and took him to a Presidential panel which questioned him for a week on allegations of graft.

Reacting to Magu’s release on Thursday, the PDP said the delay in arraigning him is heightening suspicion in the public space over alleged attempt to give the suspended EFCC boss “a soft landing in order to cover up for certain top officials of the Buhari administration as well as some leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, alleged to have been indicted by the suspended EFCC chairman, in the course of his investigation by the Presidential Panel.”

Advertisements

In a statement signed by spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party noted that its position is premised on conflicting reports on “the status of the processes related to Magu’s on-going investigations and the direction of the Federal Government on the matter.”

The statement reads, “Our party holds that where there are no undesirable underhand dealings, any government that is committed to the fight against corruption, in such a manner that the Buhari Presidency wants the world to believe it does, should have since perfected its processes and arraign the suspended EFCC acting chairman in court, particularly with the weight of allegations and revelations unearthed at the Presidential panel.

Advertisements

READ ALSO: EFCC: ‘Magu used ‘Pastor’ to launder N573m re-looted funds abroad’

“The fact is that the allegations of fraud including alleged stealing of billions of naira recovered by the EFCC among other accusations, which also include alleged transfer of stolen money to certain government officials, are already in the public domain.

“The expectation of Nigerians therefore is for the federal government to immediately arraign Magu before a court of competent jurisdiction and prosecute him in line with the dictates of our laws.

“Nigerians are apprehensive that the EFCC investigation might go the way of the huge cover up in the handling of cases of unbridled treasury looting in the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, among others, where indicted officials were given a pat on the wrist without prosecution.

“Our party charges the Buhari Presidency to note that the world is watching the handling of the EFCC fraud case with keen interest. The federal government should therefore take immediate steps to arraign Magu and all those indicted in the matter before a court of competent jurisdiction without any further delay.”

Advertisements
Advertisements

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.