The Federal Government of Nigeria has clarified that the former Chairman of the Economic and financial crimes Commission, EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu is not free from prosecution if indicted, despite being retired from the commission.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi made this disclosure when he was featured at the ministerial briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Read Also: Surprise As Police Comm. Promotes Ex-EFCC Boss Magu To AIG
Fielding question on why the Police authorities have yet to act on the recommendations of the Justice Salami probe panel set up by the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2020 to investigate the corruption allegations against Magu but went ahead to promote him to an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, Dingyadi said:
‘This is an issue that should have been addressed by the Police Service Commission, which has the responsibility to conduct promotions of the police. They are not here. And I am aware that the Police Service Commission is directly under the presidency.
‘So I cannot speak for them. But what I know is that Mr Magu has already retired and that is what I can tell you now. The fact that he was promoted is a matter for the Police Commission to maybe throw more light on. I’m not aware of the position of the government on the report you are talking about and I think it is still being under consideration. It doesn’t mean that when he retires, the laws will not catch up with him whenever he is found guilty. So, I think it’s not finished business.’
Africa Daily News, New York recalls that the Salami’s panel upon conclusion of its assignment turned in its report in November of the same year to the President.
The minister, refrained from updating the media on the corruption charges against Abba Kyari, the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police now in custody facing prosecution, saying that the matter is in court and would amount to subjudice to comment on it.
He said the Police have begun to deploy technology in dealing with crimes and criminalities in the country, adding that the Police authorities were striving hard to be civil in their operations and would deploy firearms were necessary for the discharge of their responsibilities.
On the issue of community policing the Minister of Police Affairs said that 25,000 constabularies have been trained and deployed to various communities across the country and that the Ministry was considering the recruitment of additional 10,000 police constables in the next one month or two in line with the President’s directive to employ 40,000 men within his second tenure.
