Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says President Muhammadu
Buhari will take “appropriate action” on the feud between Abubakar
Malami, attorney-general of the federation, and Ibrahim Magu,
acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, the
minister said both men had the interest of the nation at heart but
only differed on approach and methodology.
He also said the disagreement between them would not have a
negative effect on the war against corruption.
“There are divergent views between the AGF and the EFCC chairman
and the appropriate authorities will look into it,” he said.
“The fact that the AGF and the EFCC chairman do not see eye to
eye on the methods or the approach does not mean that both of them
do not believe in the ultimate which is that corruption must be
addressed.
“If they disagree on approach, then the president will look into
the matter and make his pronouncement. He will ask why the AGF is
taking such a position and why the EFCC chairman is taking another
position.
“This, to me, is a purely administrative matter and if it is
not, Mr President will take appropriate action. The President is
aware and is investigating it. He is the employer of both of
them.”
On August 1, TheCable reported that the office of the
attorney-general of the federation was heading for a showdown with
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly
breaching the rules in its prosecutions.
But in a swift response, Wilson Uwujaren, spokesman of the
anti-graft agency, disputed the report, attributing it to some
corrupt persons “who have continued to push the false narrative
into media headlines”.
Some days after his denial, Malami admitted that all was not
well between him and the anti-graft czar but did not go into
details.
Three weeks after, Sahilu Othman, Malami’s media aide, wrote an
article where he accused the EFCC of misusing intelligence to the
detriment of the anti-graft war.
He blamed the agency for the suspension of Nigeria by the Egmont
Group, a body responsible for the exchange financial intelligence
to fight money laundering and terrorism financing.
TheCable had also reported how the group, which comprises
financial intelligence units of 153 countries, suspended Nigeria
owing to the interference of the EFCC in the activities of the
Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
A few days after the report, the senate passed the Nigeria
Financial Intelligence Unit bill to make the unit independent of
the EFCC in line with the demands of the group.
Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says President Muhammadu
Buhari will take “appropriate action” on the feud between Abubakar
Malami, attorney-general of the federation, and Ibrahim Magu,
acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, the
minister said both men had the interest of the nation at heart but
only differed on approach and methodology.
He also said the disagreement between them would not have a
negative effect on the war against corruption.
“There are divergent views between the AGF and the EFCC chairman
and the appropriate authorities will look into it,” he said.
“The fact that the AGF and the EFCC chairman do not see eye to
eye on the methods or the approach does not mean that both of them
do not believe in the ultimate which is that corruption must be
addressed.
“If they disagree on approach, then the president will look into
the matter and make his pronouncement. He will ask why the AGF is
taking such a position and why the EFCC chairman is taking another
position.
“This, to me, is a purely administrative matter and if it is
not, Mr President will take appropriate action. The President is
aware and is investigating it. He is the employer of both of
them.”
On August 1, TheCable reported that the office of the
attorney-general of the federation was heading for a showdown with
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly
breaching the rules in its prosecutions.
But in a swift response, Wilson Uwujaren, spokesman of the
anti-graft agency, disputed the report, attributing it to some
corrupt persons “who have continued to push the false narrative
into media headlines”.
Some days after his denial, Malami admitted that all was not
well between him and the anti-graft czar but did not go into
details.
Three weeks after, Sahilu Othman, Malami’s media aide, wrote an
article where he accused the EFCC of misusing intelligence to the
detriment of the anti-graft war.
He blamed the agency for the suspension of Nigeria by the Egmont
Group, a body responsible for the exchange financial intelligence
to fight money laundering and terrorism financing.
TheCable had also reported how the group, which comprises
financial intelligence units of 153 countries, suspended Nigeria
owing to the interference of the EFCC in the activities of the
Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
A few days after the report, the senate passed the Nigeria
Financial Intelligence Unit bill to make the unit independent of
the EFCC in line with the demands of the group.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/lai-buhari-will-take-action-on-the-feud-between-malami-and-magu/