No going back on arrest of Ekpeyong, Oke, says Magu

Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says the EFCC is determined to bring Ita Ekpeyong, former director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), and Ayo Oke, former head of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), to justice.

DSS operatives had prevented the arrests of both men who failed to honour the invitation of the anti-graft agency.

While EFCC invited Ekpeyong over his alleged role in the arms scam involving Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), Oke was summoned over the $43 million discovered in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Following their absence at the commission’s headquarters, officials of the EFCC stormed the residences of the former heads of the agencies but were prevented from gaining access to their compounds.

The clash between the security agencies affected residents of Mamman Nasir street in the Asokoro area of Abuja.

Oke and Ekpeyong live on the street.

Speaking with state house correspondents after President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated a committee to audit recovered loot, Magu said the law must take its course.

He said the anti-graft agency had concrete evidence against both men.

“The law must take its course; nobody is above the law,” he said.

“There must be reasons, strong reasons, before we go for arrest.”

Asked if he was discouraged by the action of the DSS, Magu said, “Never! Never! I’m not discouraged but rather energised to do more. I am telling you, nobody is above the law.”