The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has vowed never to relent in the fight against corruption.
He made this disclosure at a Thursday stakeholder’s meeting with the Association of Democratic Lawyers led by foremost human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).
Magu disclosed that he would rather die than succumb to the machinations of corrupt elements in the nation bent on subverting the cause of justice, stating that “I prefer to die fighting corruption”.
While alluding to the incident that transpired when the EFCC arraigned Rickey Tarfa (SAN) for obstruction of justice earlier in the week, Magu said it was shameful that 33 Senior Advocates of Nigeria could storm the premises of the Lagos High Court claiming that they wanted to defend the accused.
According to him, the incident was a clear indication of corruption fighting back.
He noted that no matter the personalities involved, when corruption fights back, “it would be a fight to finish”.
The EFCC chairman said it was unfortunate that some senior lawyers had formed a bloc to fight the commission instead of collaborating with it to rid the nation of practices that could put its future in jeopardy.
Magu disclosed that, aside the widely-publicised case of Tarfa, some other lawyers had also been prosecuted, with some convictions secured.
He revealed: “Apart from those, we have been quietly investigating many senior lawyers across the country, in relation to some to the proceeds of certain heinous crimes against the Nigerian people. When we reach a comfortable stage in our investigation, we would take them to court and make the outcome of our enquiries known to the Nigerian people.”
The EFCC boss said it was those investigations that informed his assertion that some lawyers were not fit for the legal profession.
Furthermore, Magu urged senior lawyers in the country to emulate the qualities of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) and allow the ethics of their profession, the interest of Nigeria and good conscience be their guiding principles before they decide to accept any brief that could involve them using their skills to pervert the cause of justice as many lawyers now do today.
Stating that Nigerians were one of the most industrious people in the world, Magu said it was unfortunate that many of them now use their God-given talents negatively, while yet another set have turned themselves into ready tools for crooks by providing their expertise and technical know-how for the crooks in the name of defending them.
On the other hand the leader of the delegation, Falana, said it was unhealthy for the judicial atmosphere for the EFCC boss to make general statements that all lawyers were corrupt, adding that it was not possible for the anti-graft agency to make any appreciable progress without the help of lawyers.
According to him, most Nigerian lawyers are people of integrity who were more than ready to co-operate with the agency to achieve its mandate.
While pledging its support to the agency to stand with it against any act of intimidation and harassment against it, Falana said he and his colleagues were embarrassed when senior lawyers who should be setting good examples for their junior colleagues, turn to judges to pervert the course of justice.