The most virulent corruption is in the judiciary, says Magu

Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says Nigeria’s oil industry and pension administration is hugely corrupt.

Magu said this in Lagos on Friday as he presented a paper titled ‘This is our Chance’ at a symposium for the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADL).

“The biggest form of corruption is not the ones you find in government offices or banks; it is not the ones that is plaguing the oil industry or pension administration,” Magu said.

Magu also said the judiciary is virulently corrupt and is being held captive by a “tiny fraction”.

“The biggest, most virulent form of corruption that ever existed is the one that has eaten deep into the fabric of the Temple of Justice,” he said.

“It is to you who minister in the temple of justice that we all run to, high or low, mighty or weak, lawmakers, law breakers and law enforcers. It is to the courts that we all run for protection.

“However, we are all witnesses to the abuse of skills, knowledge, powers, position and privileges by a few rogue elements, who, whilst being a tiny fraction, have an outsized influence on the direction of the Nigerian judiciary and indeed, the Nigerian nation.”

Magu charged the lawyers to rescue Nigerians from the “dark forces” holding Nigeria captive.

“When these dark forces gather (as they have), our expectation is that bodies such as the National Association of Democratic Lawyers would rise up, without any further prompting and come to our rescue,” Magu said.

Assuring his listeners that EFCC would continue fighting corruption.

“Whilst we may not claim omniscience, one thing we are convinced of in the Commission is that Nigeria will be doomed if we fail to win the war on corruption,” he said.