Strong
indications emerged yesterday that the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), might have re-invigorated a team of detectives
investigating some serving senators and former governors.
The
move, Saturday Telegraph’s investigation revealed, may be a fallout to
the fact that the development “will further demonstrate the refusal of
the Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, to be cowed by
powerful elements.”
On the heels of this, the anti-graft agency
yesterday said Magu, despite the Senate’s rejection, had been invited by
Transparency International (TI) and Global Witness, to address a
conference in London on March 21. But speaking on the latest crackdown, a
highlyplaced security source, who spoke in confidence with Saturday
Telegraph yesterday, said investigation into the tenure of a former
governor, who is also an influential Senator, had reached an advanced
stage.
The source further revealed that the alleged involvement
or otherwise of a former state’s chief executive in the Paris Club
funds’ scandal, would soon be established, “as the probe is progressing
professionally and satisfactorily.”
Saturday Telegraph’s
findings showed that about 29 choice properties in the United Arab
Emirate (UAE), had been traced to the said influential Senator.
“From
all indication, it is instructive to note that the EFCC’s crackdown has
started yielding dividends as investigations revealed that an
influential serving senator has about 29 choice properties somewhere in
Dubai and this is authoritative.
“In the coming days, I am very
sure Nigerians will be informed about the status of the serving senator,
which might be instrumental in some respect to the developments in the
Senate Chamber this week,” the source added. Each of the assets located
in the highbrow areas of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the
UAE, is estimated at about $2 million.
“In the coming weeks and
months, the public will get to know outcomes of some of these
investigations, some of which will reveal why some forces are bent on
not having Magu confirmed,” the source said. Unconfirmed reports had
claimed that staved-off pressures to back down on some cases initiated
against high-profile politicians by the anti-graft agency. It will be
recalled that the Senate, on Wednesday, rejected the nomination of Magu
for appointment as substantive chairman of the EFCC.
The Red
Chamber had predicated its decision to reject President Muhammadu
Buhari’s nominee on a report by the Department of State Services (DSS),
which allegedly called Ma-gu’s integrity into question.
The Head
of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, had yet to
respond to a text message Saturday Telegraph forwarded to his phone as
at the time the newspaper went to bed. Meanwhile, a statement issued by
Uwujaren, said Magu would deliver a pa-per entitled: “Give Us Our Money
Back – Nigeria’s Fight Against Corruption: A Critical Conversation”.
Uwujaren
said: “Days after the Senate rejected his nomination, Ibrahim Magu, the
acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
has been invited by two leading anti-corruption organisations, the
Transparency International and Global Witness to speak at an
international conference on money laundering and assets recovery on
March 21, 2017 in London.”
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