Society Gists

PRESS STATEMENT

BY TRANSPARENCY CENTRE AN AFFILIATE OF PATRIOTS AGAINST CORRUPTION                    

For years now, Nigeria has been under the siege of ravaging corruption cutting across all strata of the society. We have seen corrupt politicians, Judges, Public Servants, Senior Lawyers and their collaborators who personalized public tilt so brazenly to the detriment of the society. They hoisted kleptocracy on the Nigerian state and trampled upon the destiny of our people.

Since the amalgamation of Nigeria as a country, the most decadent threat to her growth, development and stability has been corruption. And this had permeated all facets of our national lives, spreading like wild fire at all levels as well as public and private establishments. And even our sacred institutions have not been spared either, so where the revisionists senior lawyers conspiring against the EFCC in the face of these massive looting of treasury and corruption by public officials?

Unrepentant critics and enemies of the Ibrahim Magu led EFCC offensive against corruption of the Buhari administration have tended to either take sympathy or are collaborators with treasury looters to the detriment of the well being of the larger Nigerian society.

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Perhaps if the opportunity presents itself like the anti Magu elements are scheming and vaunting about their capacity to dislodge him from office. These set of treasury bandits are erecting obstacles on the path of the EFCC Chairman for the accused vultures being prosecuted by the EFCC to find an escape route.

We commend the Magu led EFCC for observing human rights principles in the handling of all cases related to suspects either in the custody of the Commission or being prosecuted. At the present, the detention facility of EFCC is the most human friendly in comparison with any detention centre of the Nigerian security agencies.

We posit that EFCC is upholding the sanctity of the Nigerian laws dictates that offenders are presumed innocent until a prima facie case has been established against them and the courts, upon which they are tried, weight the evidences before exacting punishment and sentence. As part of the mantra of the Buhari administration, there is no room for kangaroo trial of suspects that one would foresee premeditated trial of and conviction. The new order promotes the strengthening of our values, democracy and wrestling Nigeria from the captivity of endemic corruption.

We call on the Nigerian masses to always remember that eternal vigilance is the sacred price for transparency, we hereby enjoin all Nigerians to continue giving the unwavering support needed to the Magu led foot soldiers of the war against corruption of the present administration.

With the disposition of President Buhari and many laudable steps taken in the fight against corruption by the present leadership of the EFCC which have greatly endeared him to the Nigerian people, actions and tendencies which would caution this standing should be abhorred and dubious officials of government and individuals wanting to take through unpopular path or deviate from the runway of justice be kept aside and reprimanded.

Mallam Umar Farouk, Secretary, Patriots Against Corruption