“There is corruption everywhere… including the EFCC” – Ibrahim Magu

Ibrahim Magu, the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has called for inter-agency collaboration to make the fight against corruption in the country succeed.

He made the call on Friday when he paid a visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai in Abuja.

Magu said “There is corruption in every institution, including the EFCC. The reasons why we are here is that we need everyone’s support. We do not have the monopoly of knowledge to do what we are doing. There is corruption everywhere, every institution, including the EFCC. We are battling with internal corruption. So, everybody has a stake in this fight.’’

The acting EFCC chairman then used the occasion to inform the army chief that the Commission had concluded arrangements to mobilise women, including women in uniform on December 7 to join the fight against corruption.

He solicited the cooperation of the army in that regard.

He added that “we also want to appeal to you to join us in fighting corruption. Let’s have a change. If you can discipline yourself, you do not need another person to discipline you. Self discipline is key.’’

Responding, Buratai assured the EFCC of army’s support in the fight against corruption, noting that the menace was a cankerworm that had eaten deep into the society.

He noted that any effort to fight corruption would be resisted from different quarters, “but once you are steadfast and focused on your responsibility, you will succeed, no matter the resistance.

“We in the Nigerian army have taken it as a policy to ensure that we check ourselves and avoid any situation that will lead to mismanagement and lack of accountability or corruption.’’

The army boss observed that a number of Nigerians had for a long time forgotten the basic principle of being accountable to themselves and the society at large.

He said “the erosion of this attribute has affected the general wellbeing of Nigerians,’’