N1.3trn looted funds: Jonathan’s camp lambasts Magu, lists corruption cases under Buhari
The camp of former President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to comment by Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, that N1.3trillion was stolen under the administration.
Former aide to Jonathan, Reno Omokri, in a statement advised Buhari government to face the United States which recently released a damning report on corruption fight in the country.
It said Magu sought to drag Jonathan into the mix when he was expected to have used the forum he spoke to address the issues of impunity raised in the U.S. State Department report.
It reads: “The claim of a stolen N1.3 trillion public fund which Magu reiterated on Monday is not new, for the discerning members of the public, the claim by Magu is rehash of false allegations that started its ill-fated journey in 2016.
“In January 2016, Muhammadu Buhari’s prophetically named Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai (Lie) Mohammed, claimed at a world press conference in Abuja, to mark the beginning of the administration’s war against corruption, that 55 well-placed Nigerians stole a whopping N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013, a period covering the Presidencies of Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan.
“Nine months later, specifically in October 2016, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay repeated the allegation with only a slight alteration, by alleging that about N1.4 trillion was stolen by top government officials and businessmen under the last three administrations.
“It will be recalled that in July 2015, Adams Oshiomhole, the current chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), had alleged that a former government minister in Nigeria stole $6bn (about N2.1 trillion). Oshiomhole said “US officials informed President Muhammadu Buhari of the alleged theft during his visit to Washington the previous month.”
“However, the U.S. State Department denied the story, asking Oshiomhole, to name the official and not drag United States into Nigeria domestic politics. The truth is that Ibrahim Magu lied and this is not the first, or second time he has lied to the public.
“It would be recalled that Mr. Magu has boasted on many occasions that the EFCC under him had recovered about N739 billion within two years, adding that over N500 billion was recovered in 2017 alone.
“However, Kemi Adeosun, the then minister of finance in the same Government at that time, decided to put a lie to Mr. Magu’s claims, by revealing in March 2018 that contrary to all the figures provided over time by the EFCC’s acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, only N91 billion of such claims could be accounted for by the Government.
“So, instead of relying on wild and unsubstantiated allegations, I would advise Mr. Magu to focus on some facts, like the following:
“According to Transparency International, Nigeria is more corrupt today than at anytime during the five-year period of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s time in office.
