Anti-corruption groups have called on the leadership of the Senate to expedite action on the confirmation of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, so as to give the ongoing anti-corruption fight the impetus it desperately needs and help sustain the Buhari administration in curtailing impunity in governance.

This was stated in a statement collectively signed by Debo  Adeniran, Coalition Againts Corrupt Leaders(CACOL); Lanre Suraju, Civil Society Network Against Corruption(CSNAC); Adetokunbo Mumuni, Social-Economic Rights and Accountability Project(SERAP); David Ugolor, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice(ANEEJ); Okey Nwanguma, Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN); Faith Nwadishi,  Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Nigeria and Oluajo Babatunde, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA).

This latest call on the National Assembly reiterates an earlier call made by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, in August 2016 in the wake of delays in the confirmation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as substantive chairman of the EFCC.

The group, rising from the recently concluded National Conference on the Role of the Legislature in the Fight Against Corruption, organised by the National Assembly and the Presidency, noted that prior to the process leading to the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Commission, the National Assembly went on recess.

“Interestingly, the Senate has since reconvened, screened and confirmed justices of Supreme Court and Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) forwarded to it long after the submission of Mr. Magu’s name for confirmation as EFCC’s chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Section 2 of the EFCC Act says “there shall be a chairman who shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the commission, and who shall not be below the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of police. He is to be saddled with the responsibility of running the anti-crime commission. The groups verily believe that Mr. Magu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, meets and exceeds this requirement, and therefore his confirmation as EFCC Chairman without further delay will give the anti-corruption fight the boost it needs to end the culture of impunity and systemic corruption in Nigeria”, representatives of the coalition stated in a release.

Anti-corruption groups have called on the leadership of the Senate to expedite action on the confirmation of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, so as to give the ongoing anti-corruption fight the impetus it desperately needs and help sustain the Buhari administration in curtailing impunity in governance.

This was stated in a statement collectively signed by Debo  Adeniran, Coalition Againts Corrupt Leaders(CACOL); Lanre Suraju, Civil Society Network Against Corruption(CSNAC); Adetokunbo Mumuni, Social-Economic Rights and Accountability Project(SERAP); David Ugolor, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice(ANEEJ); Okey Nwanguma, Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN); Faith Nwadishi,  Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Nigeria and Oluajo Babatunde, Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA).

This latest call on the National Assembly reiterates an earlier call made by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, in August 2016 in the wake of delays in the confirmation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as substantive chairman of the EFCC.

The group, rising from the recently concluded National Conference on the Role of the Legislature in the Fight Against Corruption, organised by the National Assembly and the Presidency, noted that prior to the process leading to the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the Commission, the National Assembly went on recess.

“Interestingly, the Senate has since reconvened, screened and confirmed justices of Supreme Court and Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) forwarded to it long after the submission of Mr. Magu’s name for confirmation as EFCC’s chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Section 2 of the EFCC Act says “there shall be a chairman who shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the commission, and who shall not be below the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of police. He is to be saddled with the responsibility of running the anti-crime commission. The groups verily believe that Mr. Magu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, meets and exceeds this requirement, and therefore his confirmation as EFCC Chairman without further delay will give the anti-corruption fight the boost it needs to end the culture of impunity and systemic corruption in Nigeria”, representatives of the coalition stated in a release.