More looters will be jailed this year; nothing wrong in handcuffing Metuh – EFCC boss

EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu 

Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Mustafa Magu has told Nigerians to expect the prosecution of those who milked the nation’s treasury dry.

He said anyone found guilty will go to jail this year. Magu, fondly called The General, said every stakeholder seemed to be more serious now about fighting corruption.

“From all indications, the judges are more serious, everybody is cooperating and this year, we will see more politically-exposed persons convicted. 

We will flush out corrupt people,” he said.Magu, who spoke during a visit to The Nation Newspaper’s headquarters in Lagos yesterday, said hewas mobilising support, opinions, ideas and strategies that were necessary to strengthen the anti-graft battle.

“We need more support; it is about Nigeria, not an individual, the fight is for everybody, from the media we have to go to the grassroots, we will take it to children in the schools; we have to tell the children thatcorruption is bad, tell them why there is no chair in the classroom.

“We will sensitise everybody on the evil of corruption. We need to let people know that corruption is bad because some people don’t seem to know,” Magu said.

“The impunity is too much. Sometimes I shed tears in the morning before I go to the office. It is just unbelievable; the rot is terrible. 

What I am saying is that people who know they have stolen our commonwealth should bring it back.“People arrogate things to themselves. They have taken our money and are bold enough to say they are not going to return it. 

The money belongs to the people;they should return the money quietly; let there be voluntary compliance. Let them voluntarily come out tosay ‘this is what I have stolen’ and the government will take it. I think that is the best thing to do,” the EFCC chief added.

Magu commented on the handcuffing of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Olisa Metuh when he appeared in court, saying, there is nothing wrong in handcuffing an accused.

“It is not coming from us (Nigerian Prisons Service, NPS, brought Metuh to court), but there is nothing wrong with that actually. 

They have a right to use their discretion; you are not there, there must be reason. There are instances when you handcuff a suspect, but let them explain themselves”, he said.

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