Information reaching Inside Sources has confirmed that Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, may suspend the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, and Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Ekpo Nta, for alleged conspiracy.
The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecutions, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, made this known recently in Abuja, following the refusal Magu and Nta to release the case files of over 35 ex-Governors and Senators, to the AGF.
According to Obla the case files requested by the AGF in separate letters to both Agencies, were for ex-Governors, including: Bukola Saraki of Kwara state, now Senate President, Ali Modu Sheriff, Borno, Godswill Akpabio,Akwa Ibom, Orji Uzor Kalu, Abia, Chimaroke Nnamani, Enugu, Saminu Turaki, Jigawa, Sule Lamido Jigawa, Joshua Dariye, Plateau, Ahmed Yerima Zamfara, and Gabriel Suswam of Benue state.
Others were: James Ibori Delta, Martin Elechi Ebonyi; Danjuma Goje Gombe; Murtala Nyako Adamawa; Ikedi Ohakim Imo; Gbenga Daniel Ogun; Achike Udenwa Imo; Ubong Victor Attah Akwa Ibom; Jolly Nyame Taraba; Rasheed Ladoja Oyo; Adebayo Alao- Akala Oyo; Adamu Mu’azu Bauchi ; Lucky Igbinedion Edo and Peter Odili Rivers.
Obla explained that the two anti-corruption agencies have withheld the files from the AGF since July 2016, when the request was made, adding that, this had caused setback to the anti-graft campaign of the Federal Government.
Obla while addressing newsmen said: “When this administration came on board, one of the reforms that were initiated was the setting up of a National Prosecution Committee, to complement the efforts of the anti- corruption agencies and the Department of Public Prosecution. A team of highly motivated Lawyers, Investigators, and Policy makers were brought in. The Committee was inaugurated on May 27 2016, by the then Vice President, now Acting President. The essence of the Committee, was for us to take on the looters of our treasury, and we have to ask the Heads of the anti-corruption agencies to furnish us with case files, starting from 2006.
Obla further states that “You remember that former EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, had told the National Assembly at a time, that 32 former Governors were being investigated by the Commission. So, we demanded the reports so that we could file criminal proceedings against those ex-Governors indicted in those reports. I also made a similar application to the ICPC, but they refused to comply. Most important, we asked them to give us the files of Senators under investigation. We wanted to, after getting those files, file an order of interim attachment of properties belonging to the suspects under investigation”.
“The AGF is bothered, and he may likely take a definite position. What the bosses of the Agencies have done amounts to insubordination under the Public Service Rule, because the AGF is a Chief Legal Officer, and the agencies under him are to respect him” Obla said.
