The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said on Friday night the investigation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) leadership for alleged graft was a plus for the current administration.
Malami, who stated this when he appeared on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA)’s “One-on-One” programme, added that the probe of the suspended EFCC acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, was evidence that no one was above the law.
He also dismissed insinuations that he tried to settle personal scores with the probe, saying it was the presidency that set up a panel to investigate the commission.
The Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel investigated the anti-graft czar for alleged financial malfeasance.
The presidency alleged that Magu re-looted assets recovered by the commission from treasury looters.
He also allegedly failed to account for interests that accrued from N550billion recovered by the EFCC.
Malami said: “I wouldn’t like to be pre-emptive of the panel put in place by the president relating to an agency but within the context of the first leg of the question as to whether setting up a panel to look into the activities of an anti-corruption agency is a blow or a plus, I think to my mind, it is indeed a plus.
“It goes on to establish the tradition which this government is known for; a tradition of no fear or favour as far as investigating corruption cases or allegations are concerned. So, to my mind, it is indeed a plus that reinforces and re-establishes a tradition by which the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is known, re-established to the effect that no allegation of corruption can be swept under the carpet. So, it is indeed a plus and not a blow.”