Magu faults TI’s corruption report on Nigeria

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acting Chairman
Mr. Ibrahim Magu has faulted the low rating of Nigeria by the
Transparency International (TI) in the global corruption perception
Index.

In an interactive session with a coalition of civil society
organisations (CSOs) and the media in Enugu at the EFCC Zonal
office at the weekend, Magu insisted that the President Muhammadu
Buhari administration and the EFCC have recorded a lot in the fight
against corruption more than ever before.

TI had in its 2017 ranking placed Nigeria 12 points lower than
previous year, at 148 over 180, as against 136 over 180 in
2016.

Reacting to a question regarding the rating, the EFCC Chairman
said Nigeria met all the requirements as contained in the
nine-point protocol, but only scored low in one point out of the
nine required. He did not mention the one.

Magu said: “We have met almost every demand. So, it’s corruption
fighting back. You will see them carrying a lot of false
information, buying all the media organisations. I don’t believe in
that TI rating. I don’t believe it’s real because from what we have
done, we have worked very hard and we have recorded a lot of
successes that had never been recorded before in this country; it
has never been done so well. I’m not giving the credit for myself,
okay; we have never done so well like this before.

“When you go through this list, you will see how they even
arrived at the perception; if you go from these (nine) variables,
all other variables minus one, the rating of Nigeria compared to
2016 has increased, the only last variable which they gave us low
mark is not issue of corruption.”

He, however, said the commission would do everything possible to
improve the rating and “not leave it to corruption fighting
back”.

Magu, who noted that he was on a week-long working visit to
Enugu and Anambra states, solicited the cooperation of civil
society groups, the media and Nigerians in the fight against
corruption, stressing that EFCC cannot do it alone.

The leader of the Civil Society Coalition, Mr. Igboke Onyebuchi
expressed gratitude to the EFCC boss for agreeing to meet and
interact with the civil society groups.

ECONOMIC and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acting Chairman
Mr. Ibrahim Magu has faulted the low rating of Nigeria by the
Transparency International (TI) in the global corruption perception
Index.

In an interactive session with a coalition of civil society
organisations (CSOs) and the media in Enugu at the EFCC Zonal
office at the weekend, Magu insisted that the President Muhammadu
Buhari administration and the EFCC have recorded a lot in the fight
against corruption more than ever before.

TI had in its 2017 ranking placed Nigeria 12 points lower than
previous year, at 148 over 180, as against 136 over 180 in
2016.

Reacting to a question regarding the rating, the EFCC Chairman
said Nigeria met all the requirements as contained in the
nine-point protocol, but only scored low in one point out of the
nine required. He did not mention the one.

Magu said: “We have met almost every demand. So, it’s corruption
fighting back. You will see them carrying a lot of false
information, buying all the media organisations. I don’t believe in
that TI rating. I don’t believe it’s real because from what we have
done, we have worked very hard and we have recorded a lot of
successes that had never been recorded before in this country; it
has never been done so well. I’m not giving the credit for myself,
okay; we have never done so well like this before.

“When you go through this list, you will see how they even
arrived at the perception; if you go from these (nine) variables,
all other variables minus one, the rating of Nigeria compared to
2016 has increased, the only last variable which they gave us low
mark is not issue of corruption.”

He, however, said the commission would do everything possible to
improve the rating and “not leave it to corruption fighting
back”.

Magu, who noted that he was on a week-long working visit to
Enugu and Anambra states, solicited the cooperation of civil
society groups, the media and Nigerians in the fight against
corruption, stressing that EFCC cannot do it alone.

The leader of the Civil Society Coalition, Mr. Igboke Onyebuchi
expressed gratitude to the EFCC boss for agreeing to meet and
interact with the civil society groups.