Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has stated that fighting corruption in Nigeria is a difficult task.
Following his suspension in 2020 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, a panel chaired by retired Justice Ayo Salami was established to investigate corruption allegations against the EFCC during his tenure.
Subsequently, based on the recommendations of the probe panel, Magu was later dismissed from his position by the President.
At the time, Buhari said, “The stark reality of widespread corruption becomes poignant when allegations of corruption touch on the leadership of an institution set up by law to coordinate and enforce all economic and financial crimes. It is an abomination that strikes at the root and undermines the government’s anti-corruption programme.”
Years after his removal from the EFCC, Magu asserted that combating corruption remains a formidable challenge.
He made these remarks while receiving an honorary doctoral fellowship from the Institute for Governance and Leadership Studies in Africa at the African University of Science & Technology in Abuja on Saturday.
Saying he was honoured and humbled as a recipient of the doctoral fellow, he said the recognition “is not just a personal achievement but a testament to the collective efforts of the dedicated individuals at the EFCC and all stakeholders in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.”
“With the benefit of hindsight and having been at the helm of affairs of the foremost anti-graft agency in Nigeria, I wish to state that fighting corruption is not an easy task. It is a patriotic and selfless service to one’s fatherland. This is because corruption is pervasive and for an agency to tackle this monster headlong, all hands must be on deck.
“I wish to state with a high sense of responsibility that the fight against corruption must be pursued with vigour as corruption remains the impediment to our collective progress as a nation,” a speech delivered by Magu stated.
He emphasized that corruption stood as the primary factor behind the absence of substantial and satisfactory benefits accompanying democracy.
Encouraging the government to persist in combating corruption, he stressed that a nation free from corruption forms the foundation for sustainable economic growth and favorable development.
He lauded President Bola Tinubu “for his informed and dynamic leadership and the Renewed Hope Agenda that guides his administration.”
