EFCC probe of Saraki not personal, says Magu

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu on Tuesday said the fresh probe of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki is either not personal or a witch-hunt.

He said the investigation of Saraki is not different from other investigations being done by the anti-graft agency. He also said he is not slowing down on the anti-graft war because corruption is a national disaster.

Magu made the clarifications in a chat with newsmen shortly after receiving an outstanding award from Euro Knowledge Forum , led by Mrs. Yinka Fayomi, in Abuja. 

The EFCC on Saturday sealed off five choice mansions allegedly traced to the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

Saraki has however described the seizure as a witch-hunt and battle against a political enemy.

Magu, who insisted that the war against corruption is not personal, said:

“Never, never, the EFCC does not witch-hunt. Have I invited you here before? We invite people who have committed crimes and people who are corrupt. If you are not corrupt, you will not be in EFCC. If you are not a 419, Advance Fee Fraud, Yahoo boy or Internet fraudsters , you will not be in EFCC.

"We do our homework very well. Sometimes, we conduct preliminary investigation for up to six months. You will not even know we are investigating you. We have been investigating some people for more than five years and they don’t even know we are doing it".

Asked to be specific on the latest investigation of Saraki, the EFCC chairman said:

“No, no, it (the investigation of Saraki ) is not personal. I am not after anybody. I don’t want you to personalize it because it is not different from other investigation we are doing.”

He added: “Seriously, I am not slowing down because corruption is a national disaster. Every Nigerian should fight corruption whether you are in Nigeria or outside the country.. Corruption is the mother of all evils. If you remove this disaster, you will have a peaceful country. 

“All these banditry, Boko Haram nuisance, their root is corruption. They are caused by corruption and sustained by corruption.”