Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state, Chief Femi Adedibu has called on the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel probing the embattled and suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, to look into the activities of EFCC lawyers Rotimi Jacobs and Rotimi Oyedepo.
The Prominent Chieftain also requested the presidential panel to publicly invite Nigerians who must have had extortion experiences with the two lawyers to send in memoranda and petitions just as he said the anti-graft commission lawyers stinks of professional misconduct and are worse than Ibrahim Magu.
In an interview with Warrireporters.com , Adedibu said he has resolved to petition the Justice Ayo Salami – led presidential panel investigating Magu to also look at the extensively damaging bribery allegations made by some Nigerians against Rotimi Jacobs and Rotimi Oyedepo.
According to Adedibu, the experiences shared by some people who have had encounters with the anti-graft commission lawyers are very saddening and embarrassing. Corruption is so pervasive in Nigeria that it has turned public service for many into a kind of criminal enterprise . How can a lawyer representing such an anti corruption institution demand 200 million naira to close cases before the EFCC? It goes to show us the magnitude and moral deficits of people representing the institution.
“Rotimi Jacobs and Rotimi Oyedepo are brothers and need to be thoroughly investigated. They are worse than the politicians they take to courts and deserve to rot in jail. What they do is to use the EFCC to arrest, harass and intimidate anyone that fails to pay their price . It is more painful because the EFCC is the only Nigerian government institution that was meant to pose a meaningful challenge to the impunity enjoyed by corrupt and powerful members of the political elite. It is important and necessary for Justice Ayo Salami – led presidential panel to find quick and pragmatic steps to bring the two lawyers to account for their misconducts.
Speaking further, he said , “I am even thinking the presidential panel is slow to have not extended their investigations to them . They have a synergy with Ibrahim Magu and that is why he allowed them to handle more than 70 corruption cases at the same time. It is time Buhari sanitize the anti-graft agency and put in a more responsible people to head the institution.
“What I mean to say is that Magu could never have acted alone, we want them to holistically investigate Rotimi Jacobs and Rotimi Oyedepo, the director of operation, the directors of records and audits from the time of Nuhu Ribadu and we heard the stories about the Kangaroo execution of orders that are not known to law. So, it is not just about Magu but those that helped him to work against Nigerians and conspired to commit the same crime with him” He said Adedibu also expressed his satisfaction over the way the security agencies handled the #EndSars protests that saw to loss of lives and property. He blamed those that attempted to destroy peaceful protests by engaging in violence acts, looting and maiming innocent police officers.
According to him, “the country would have been in serious anarchy if the police folded their hands and watch some of the misinformed youths go below expectations”.
Warrireporters.com recalls that Nigerians were on Monday, July 6, 2020, stunned by the news that men of the Department of Security Services (DSS) had arrested the now suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Ibrahim Magu and whisked him away to the Aso Rock Villa for interrogation over alleged fraud.
Magu was then detained at the Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) and was questioned by the Ayo-Salami-led Presidential Panel.
His travails began with a memo written by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami over alleged misappropriation of recovered funds, gross misconduct and insubordination.
The multiple allegations of fraud leveled against the anti-corruption czar were to the tune of a whopping N37 billion including confiscated property he was said to have cornered to himself and his cronies across the country.
Magu was also accused of living in an apartment of N20 million annually allegedly paid for upfront of N40 million by an alleged corrupt retired Air Commodore, who is being investigated by the EFCC.
The multiple allegations against him led to his presumed suspension by President Muhammadu Buhari and his replacement on Tuesday, July 7, by the Director of Operations in the EFCC, Muhammed Umar in acting capacity.
Magu has been in the vortex of controversy in the last five years, following the refusal of the 8thSenate led by Bukola Saraki to confirm him as substantive Chairman of the EFCC. The Senate rejected him because of a damning report of the DSS in 2016, which advised the upper legislative chamber not to confirm him on account of fraud and incompetence.
However, President Muhammadu Buhari re-nominated him but he was again rejected by the Senate in 2017 yet the President allowed him to act in clear violation of the EFCC ACT 2004, which stipulates that the Senate must confirm him before he can commence operations in the commission.
