Looters ‘shun Dubai for Morocco, Jo’burg, Ghana’

* Convictions up from 158 to 246

THOSE who plundered the wealth of the country have found safer
havens in Morocco, Johannesburg and Ghana, where they are investing
their loot in properties, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu said in Lagos yesterday.

According to him, looters have shifted base from Dubai, The
United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Magu said Dubai, hitherto, an attractive investment destination
for looters, had lost its appeal following better anti-corruption
cooperation between Nigeria, the UAE and several western
countries.

He said looters got more desperate to sell off their properties
in Dubai, but afraid that the EFCC “will get to know it.”

Magu spoke at a media parley at the commission’s Lagos
Office.

He said the Federal Government was mounting pressure on United
Kingdom (UK) to extradite former Petroleum Minister Mrs. Diezani
Alison-Madueke, so that she can face trial following the country’s
failure to prosecute her over three years after it began
investigating her for corruption.

Magu said: “We are working with other law enforcement agencies
seriously. I attended an INTERPOL meeting in Dubai, I was there for
five days and there were interactions.”

To him, since technology has made it easier to investigate
financial crimes, the UK’s three-year investigation of Diezani is
unacceptable.

Magu said: “…in this era of digital banking, there is no aspect
of financial crimes you will say the matter will go on for three
and a half years, for three and a half years! One case!

“So, I told my colleagues in the NCA (National Crime Agency) and
CPS, Crown Prosecution Service (in the United Kingdom) that ‘No, it
doesn’t make sense; if you cannot do it, give us, because we have
gone to London and back, even America.

“The Americans, Nigerians and the United Kingdom; we met in
London, we met in Washington, we met here several times, so we have
done a lot of things you cannot even imagine.

“This Diezani case is everywhere. Any law enforcement agency
that comes to Nigeria; even last time, the people investigating the
Malabu case, they came, they just finished last Saturday and
returned to their country. We had exchange of information.

“So, the case has become very notorious, it has touched
everywhere. You cannot investigate a matter endlessly; there are a
lot of expectations; that’s why we said ‘give us if you cannot take
action. Give us, we can take action.’ We are still insisting.

“I met Nigerians in the Diaspora and I begged them to put
pressure on the authorities to help us extradite Diezani and
repatriate whatever loot has been recovered.”

The EFCC boss said it was also on the case of “so many other
politically exposed persons who are even in Ghana. For instance,
Johannesburg; and even Morocco has become a haven.

“A lot of them are now buying properties in Morocco and we are
monitoring them. They have stopped buying the ones in Dubai. They
are busy hiding it, to sell the ones in Dubai.

“If you sell one property in Dubai, we will get it. I’m telling
you. All countries of the world are no longer tolerating this
nonsense. The world has realised that loot and proceeds of
corruption dent their economy.”

Magu vowed to, in collaboration with foreign anti-graft
agencies, block inflows and outflows of illicit funds ahead of the
2019 polls.

He said” “So, we work together and it is getting very difficult
for you to move money in and out of Nigeria throughout the
electioneering period; so difficult, absolutely impossible.”

According to him, the EFCC is apolitical and would not take
sides during the 2019 polls. He urged Nigerians to resist vote
buying and pledged to prosecute money launderers.

Magu said: “Let me state upfront that we are apolitical at the
EFCC. However, the concern of EFCC is with those who seek to use
the political space for money laundering. We would enforce the
provisions of the anti-money laundering law to the letter, no
matter whose ox is gored.

“Some vested interests are already attacking us for our stand on
the side of the law. Let us remind them that the law is no
respecter of persons.”

As another evidence of its impartiality, Magu hinted that the
commission would move against an unnamed high ranking member of the
ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming days.

He said the EFCC was investigating a petition against former Edo
State Governor Adams Oshiomole before he became All Progressives
Congress (APC) Chairman.

The EFCC chief vowed to prosecute any lawbreaker, whether in the
APC or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Magu patted the commission on the back for its “tremendous”
convictions.

He said: “I recall that at the last interactive session, I
announced that the Commission had recorded 158 convictions,
including the cases of two former governors who were jailed 14
years each and a senior lawyer who bagged a year jail term.

“But as I speak with you, the number has increased tremendously.
As at November 30, 2018, the figure has jumped to 246. So, I make
bold to say that the Commission is winning the war against
corruption.

“In terms of assets recovery/forfeiture, the Commission has
secured quite a number of temporary or permanent forfeiture of
properties and various sums of monies unlawfully acquired by
persons of questionable character.”

He vowed to carry out a nationwide sweep against internet
fraudsters from next month.

Magu said: “More than ever before, we are giving Internet
fraudsters sleepless nights; also, shady night club owners who
harbour “yahoo-yahoo boys” now see the Commission as a pain in
their necks.

“So also we have begun to send red alert to car dealers to check
their books or be ready to face the wrath of the law.”

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