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Corruption: EFCC, ICPC have refused to release case files of 35 ex-governors – Buhari’s aide

Special Assistant to the President on Prosecutions, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla has said the Attorney-General may report that Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu to the Presidency.

He also said the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Ekpo Nta may also be reported.

Speaking on Saturday, Obono-Obla said the anti-corruption czars are withholding the case files of more than 35 ex-governors and senators from the AGF.

He said the current administration’s anti-graft war has suffered setback due to the refusal of the agencies to forward the files since July 2016.

He said, “When this administration came on board, one of the reforms that were initiated was the setting up of a National Prosecution Committee to complement the efforts of the anti-corruption agencies and the Department of Public Prosecution.

[Read Also: High-profile cases: EFCC, ICPC responsible for losses – Buhari’s aide]

“A team of highly motivated lawyers, investigators and policy makers were brought in. The committee was inaugurated on May 27, 2016 by the then Vice  President, now acting President.

“The essence of the committee was for us to take on the looters of our treasury and we have to ask the heads of the anti-corruption agencies to furnish us with case files starting from 2006.

“You remember that former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, had told the National Assembly at a time that 32 former governors were being investigated by the commission. So, we demanded the reports so that we could file criminal proceedings against those ex-governors indicted in those reports. I also made a similar application to the ICPC, but they refused to comply.

“Most important, we asked them to give us the files of senators under investigation. We wanted to, after getting those files, file an order of interim attachment of properties belonging to the suspects under investigation. This is because under Section 28.4 of the EFCC Act, when suspects are arrested, the commission attaches all the properties acquired under that financial crime.

“So, we wanted to really wage a war, get those files and carry out those attachments so that Nigerians will know we are really serious about this war on corruption. And disappointedly, they refused to hand over those files and have refused to work with the AGF.

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“The AGF is the chief prosecutor of the country and I see no reason why agencies under his supervision should not cooperate with him.

“The AGF is bothered and he may likely take a definite position. What the bosses of the agencies have done amounts to insurbodination under the public service rule because the AGF is a chief legal officer and the agencies under him are to respect him. The AGF’s position may be to report the heads to the Presidency.”

The Special Assistant had last week alleged that the EFCC and ICPC were not cooperating with Malami, which had led to the loss of some high-profile corruption cases.

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  1. We knew Magu was up to something, and we don’t expect anything better from d ICPC, EFCC and those agencies. Why do u think those criminals are defecting to APC? Is it not to be protected against d axe of anti corruption?

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