CRIME
No Amount of Blackmail Will Deter Me, Boasts Embattled Magu
By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja
The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has said that no amount of blackmail and mischief will deter him from the fight against corruption in the country.
The EFCC boss who has been accused of mismanagement and embezzlement of funds by a top government official described the allegations as blackmail, reaffirming his determination and readiness to stop looters who have been stealing from the nation’s patrimony.
Head, Media and Publicity of the Commission, Dele Oyewale stated that Magu made the vow on Thursday, June 25, 2020 while receiving a delegation of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory Council, who paid him a solidarity visit at the Corporate Headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja.
According to him, the prospects of Nigeria are great and must not be allowed to be wasted or stolen by corrupt elements without resistance.
“Nigeria is our common wealth. This wealth must be protected at all times and all hands must be on deck to stop looters of our wealth”, he said.
According to Magu, “Those stealing, embezzling, hiding and carrying our wealth away are not our friends. We must stop them. We must stop looters. We must stop the industry of corruption by all means and we shall surely stop them.”
On the numerous distraction thrown at the fight against corruption, Magu said, “Fighting corruption is not a tea party. More than ever before, fraudsters are devising new techniques and strategies every day to beat established rules and systems. Besides, several fight-back ploys are also being fashioned to distract and discourage genuine fighters of corrupt practices. For us, all these strategies are all too- known. We are familiar with the desperation of fraudsters. We are familiar with their blackmail and campaign of calumny but we will not give up. We will continue to expose and bring corrupt elements to book. We will never give up!”
He pledged more dedication and commitment to the anti-corruption fight, stressing that the EFCC was too focused to be distracted.
“We are too focused to be distracted, we have lot of results to show for our efforts. The results will keep getting better. We are on course.” He also charged Nigerians to rise up and make corrupt practices less attractive. “We must fight to make corruption unattractive”, he said.
Magu commended the media for its unwavering support, describing it as the most important partner in the fight against corruption.
“The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has always been a formidable voice and development – focused organization in Nigeria. As the fourth estate of the realm, the Press is a pillar in our democracy”, he said.
He tasked the media to rise up more than ever before to the task of fighting corruption, refuse to celebrate ill-gotten wealth and publicly own the anti-corruption fight.
The leader of the delegation and Council Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche, said that the NUJ officials came on a solidarity visit to Magu for his steadfastness and determination in the anti-corruption fight despite distractions and assured the EFCC of the continued cooperation of the Council members as partners in the war against corruption.
He called on the EFCC to continue its crackdown on fraudsters and tasked it to track the management of funds being deployed to the fight against Coronavirus.
Other management staff of the EFCC that received the NUJ delegation include the Director of Organizational Support, Dr. Aminu Gusau; Director of Operations, Umar Mohammed Abba; Acting Director of Public Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Larai Musa; Special Assistant to the Chairman on Media & Publicity, Mr. Tony Amokeodo and Head of Media & Publicity and Spokesperson of the Commission, Dele Oyewale, amongst others.
An Ota Magistrate’s Court in Ogun, on Friday, sentenced a 21-year-old ex-convict, Habeeb Jimoh, to two years imprisonment for stealing a Zealot speaker, Infinix mobile phone and other goods worth N595,000.
In her judgment, the Magistrate, Mrs O.
O.
Fadairo, sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment without an option of fine.Fadairo said that the prosecution counsel had proven beyond reasonable doubt that he was guilty of the charge preferred against him.
The convict, of no fixed address, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. E. O. Adaraloye, told the court that the convict committed the offence on May 28, at about 3.
00 a.m. at Singer area, Ewupe in Sango-Ota.Adaraloye said that the security guard identified him after stealing a Zealot speaker, an Infinix phone and other items, worth N595,000, after which he fled.
According to him, the offence contravenes Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. (NAN)
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday convicted and sentenced a 24-year-old man, Emmanuel Chekwube, to seven years imprisonment for drug trafficking.
Justice Lewis Allagoa sentenced the convict after he had pleaded guilty to the four-count charge of drug trafficking.
Allagoa, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had arraigned Chekwube on charges of conspiracy, illegal storage of restricted drug, unlawful use of premises to store banned narcotics and unlawful deal in narcotics.
He had pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following his plea, the Prosecutor, Ms M.
I. Erondu, reviewed the facts of the case and tendered several exhibits before the court, such as: a statement of the defendant, a drug analysis form and packaging of substance form.Also tendered were: remnant of the narcotics, request for scientific aid form and transparent pouch, among others.
The prosecutor then urged the court to convict the defendant based on his plea as well as the evidences adduced.
Consequently, the judge convicted the defendant as charged.
Before the sentence, the defence had prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy, saying that as his client was a first time offender and that he would turn a new leaf.
Delivering his verdict afterwards, Allagoa sentenced Chekwube to seven years imprisonment on each count, which, he said, would run concurrently.
He, however, gave the convict an option of five million naira fine.
In the charge, the convict was said to have committed the offences on May 7 at Amukoko, Ijora area of Lagos.
He was said to have used the premises to engage in illegal storage of 56.2 kg Tramadol Hydrochloride, 1.2 kg Nitrazepam and 72g of Swinol
All the substances are said to have been listed in the NDLEA schedule as banned narcotics, thus contravening the provisions of Sections 12 and 14(b) of NDLEA Act, 2004. (NAN)
The police on Wednesday arraigned a 40-year-old man, Umaru Garuba, before an Akure Magistrates’ Court for allegedly biting off the ear of a suspect in police detention.
The police Prosecutor, Insp Adebayo Suleiman, told the court that the defendant was arrested on June 5 for stealing N35,000 belonging to one Yakubu Salisu and detained in the A Division Police Station, Akure.
Suleiman said that the defendant, on June 6 in the police station’s cell, used his teeth to cut off the ear of one Tope Oladele who was also in the cell.
The offences, according to him, are contrary to and punishable under Sections 390 and 335 Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge preferred against him.
The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the case, Insp Yetunde Daramola, told the court that a policeman had to force the severed ear out of the defendant’s mouth.
The Defence Counsel, Mr O.O. Oladapo, applied for bail for the defendant in liberal terms, stating that his client was still presumed innocent until otherwise proved.
The Magistrate, Mr Damilola Sekoni, adjourned the case till June 16 for ruling on the bail application. (NAN)
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