No sacred cows in fight against corruption - Magu

The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu has declared that there are no sacred cows in the fight against corruption.

He spoke Tuesday at the end of EFCC-Stakeholders' Walk Against Corruption campaign held in Abuja.

He noted that the reign of impunity in the conduct of public affairs has been checked to a considerable extent.

He said by taking on the high and mighty in all sectors, “the EFCC has proven that there are no sacred cows in the fight against corruption.”

He said much that has been gained in the past two years is attested to by massive recovery of stolen assets and convictions of some high profile corruption suspects.

He said despite support of the Buhari administration and its non-interference with the work of anti-graft agencies, “a band of corrupt elite threatened by the momentum of the anti-graft war have sworn to derail the process.”

“They are deadly and without remorse as they plot and scheme to defeat the anti- corruption programme and take the country back to the dark days when corruption and impunity reigned supreme,” he added.

He said, while most who feel the pain of corruption, ask for more vigour in the fight, the cabal profiteering from corruption would want the campaign watered down.

He said while many Nigerians are calling for stiffer punishment for the corrupt, “the patrons of corruption now tell us that it does not pay to punish the corrupt.”

Magu further quoted from William Shakespeare’s novel Julius Caesar, saying, “If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.”

“It is time to weep for those who believe they can perpetually hold down Nigeria as a cow and milk her to death,” he said.

“It is time to weep for supposed men and women of honour who pose as anti-corruption fighters but when they think we are not looking, they plot and fund the collapse of the anti-corruption war.

“It is time to weep for those who want to be perpetually rich at the expense of our poor masses. Victory is ours because the days of impunity are gone, forever,” Magu said.