Magu Reassures Lawyers
The acting Chairman
of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu has
reassured lawyers and judges that comments attributed to him in recent
media reports regarding the conduct of judicial officials, was not
intended at impugning their integrity.
According to him, his comments, and activities of the
Commission, should not be interpreted to mean a blanket indictment of
all lawyers and judges but, rather directed at a few bad eggs within the
system. “There is no way one can make a blanket statement on the
integrity of lawyers and judges. Nigeria is blessed with some of the
best lawyers and judges on the African continent. My worry is that the
bad ones amongst them are giving the good ones a bad name”, he said.
He emphasized that
the Commission deeply appreciates the support of most conscientious,
upright and patriotic members of the bar and bench (including defence
counsels), leading to the Commission's unbeaten prosecution and
conviction record.
Magu stated further
that, mindful of the fact that judges are constrained from publicly
responding to criticism against them, the Commission only employs legal
and administrative procedures, including investigation of errant
judicial officers and laying complaints against them before the National
Judicial Council (NJC). In the same vein, the Commission has charged
to court and secured convictions against a number of lawyers.
The EFCC boss invited
all patriotic members of the bar and the bench to join the renewed
campaign against corruption and money laundering, while exposing the
corrupt among them. "There is no blanket condemnation of lawyers and
judges", he reiterated, "But, the corrupt few will not be spared."
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