Magu: Ozekhome wants police banned from heading EFCC

Constitutional lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has recommended that serving police officers should not be made head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged abuse of due process of law in anti-corruption war.

Ozekhome appeared on Friday before the Presidential Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of corruption against suspended EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, between 2015 and 2020, which is headed by former president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami.

Ozekhome said he submitted 33 recommendations, tendered written address of 84 pages, 215 exhibits, and five CDs to the panel.

He said: “Corruption has not been properly fought in accordance with the rule of law and due process. And you need to fight corruption within the legal and constitutional organogram of Nigeria. That fighting corruption and respecting human rights are not mutually exclusive; you can fight corruption without putting people in manacles, tying them on hospital beds and carrying them to courts on a stretcher. That is not how to fight corruption.”

“ICPC is headed by incorruptible judges of the appellate courts of Nigeria. It will now have a CEO or director general, who would be responsible for the day-to-day activities of the EFCC but who must be appointed from the serving cadres of the EFCC, particularly not from the police,” he stated.

Ozekhome said he sent a letter to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo dated May 31, 2017 complaining about “the lack of accountability in the management of recovered properties and monies by the EFCC since the inception of the administration.