$300m Abacha loot: US senator’s allegations against Magu baseless – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that the allegations by the Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Charle Grassley that its acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu is detaining outspoken critics of President Muhammadu Buhari over the Abacha loot as baseless.

The commission in a statement signed by its acting Head, Media and Publicity, Tony Orilade, said that it is at the forefront of the transparent management of recovered funds and would not be dragged into any controversy over an allegation that has no fact or any iota of proof.

Republican Senator, Grassley had in a letter dated April 1, 2020 and addressed to the Chief Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the US Department of Justice, Deborah Connor, accused Magu of “detaining individuals who have spoken against the Buhari government.”

But, the commission said that the allegation was false and clearly has no bearing with the operations of the EFCC nor address the painstaking efforts of Magu in tackling the menace of corruption, without fear or favour.

“The EFCC is involved in the processes of repatriation of the looted $300million by the former Head of State, the late Gen. Sani Abacha and quite aware of the tripartite agreement involving Nigeria, the United States and Island of Jersey.

“As an anti-graft agency, the commission has credible records of managing recovered funds and assets.

“And it is rather unfortunate that the ranking US senator in a desperate bid to frustrate the repatriation of the funds, clearly embraced the well-worn antics of some unscrupulous elements in the country, who never succeeded in blackmailing the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari,” the commission averred in the statement.

It said even the harshest detractors of Magu know and always acknowledge his firm and bold handling of the anti- corruption fight which continues to earn him accolades within and outside Nigeria.

“Only recently, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) gave an award of excellence to Mr. Magu for his unique role in a joint field operation codenamed, ‘Operation Rewired’.

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“The operation yielded great results internationally in tackling the menace of cyber-crime,” it further claimed.

EFCC said it is worrisome that a high-ranking US lawmaker of the status of Grassley could not get his facts right nor establish a credible premise of attacking an FBI- celebrated Magu.

“Would the FBI have come out to acknowledge the effectiveness and credibility of the EFCC under Magu’s watch, if such allegation of oppressing opposition to President Buhari’s government had any merit?” it questioned.

It noted that only recently, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), an opposition politician, poured encomiums on Magu on the visible achievements of the EFCC under his watch.

The anti-graft agency quoted Adoke as saying that “President Muhammadu Buhari is highly celebrated for fighting corruption and the poster boy of this celebrated achievement is clearly Magu.’’

It further stated that three former governors who are ranking members of the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) are currently serving jail terms for corruption, adding that EFCC is not persecuting members of the opposition, but fighting corrupt persons.

“Grassley evidently lacks any sound basis for linking the EFCC and Magu with any oppressive or separatist agenda against government opposition.

“Records of convictions of the commission are in the public domain as well as cases before the courts, which can be subjected to un-biased analysis and scrutiny.

“We wish to reiterate that the EFCC under Magu is too focused on the anti- graft agenda of the government to be distracted by such empty claims of the lawmaker,” the commission stated.