Magu: Anyone invited by EFCC cannot come out clean

Ibrahim Magu, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says there is no one who would “come out clean” after honouring the invitation of the anti-graft agency.

Speaking on Question Time, a programme on Channels Television, Magu said the commission carries out thorough findings before inviting suspects.

He denied the allegation that the EFCC had turned into a tool for political witch-hunt, saying the commission is only after “thieves”.

“We don’t chase innocent people; we investigate people before we arrest them. We follow the money, we trace when you recieved the money, and we also investigate how you utilized the money,” he said.

“That’s why anybody that is invited here will not come out clean, because we do our homework before we invite you. We may investigate for a year or six months and the person would not know.”

Magu said the agency does not select those it prosecutes, adding that once there is any evidence against suspects, the EFCC goes after them.

“There is no sacred cow, we will go after anybody who has stolen the resources of the people. We have no reservations,” he said.

“We fight corruption both within and outside. We don’t go after innocent people for political reasons, we are going after the thieves of state resources.”

He described London as the “headquarters of money laundering”, alleging that Britain’s capital had created a haven for stolen money.

“London is the capital of money laundering; it is where all the stolen money is hidden. It has given a haven to all the corrupt persons and stolen money from all states of the world,” he said.

“In fact, it is the headquarters of money laundering. Most of the stolen money are hidden either by properties or in banks or as physical cash.”

David Cameron, British prime minister, had referred to Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt country“ in a conversation with the Queen.