TheCable

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says there is no conflict between the agency and the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF).

An official of the anti-graft agency, who declined to be named, had told TheCable that Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the EFCC, was on Tuesday served a letter from the office of the AGF seeking compliance with the regulation on the prosecution of “serious” cases, usually understood to mean high-profile investigations.

Specifically, the attorney-general, Abubakar Malami, is accusing Magu of breaching section 10(1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Enforcement) Regulations 2010.

The regulation mandates the EFCC to forward the outcome of investigations along with its recommendations to the AGF in cases or complaints that are “serious or complex”.

But in a statement issued on Thursday, Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC spokesman, said reports of an impending showdown with the AGF were evidence of corruption fighting back.

“The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to the near-daily reportage of either the existence of a face-off or an impending and damaging conflict between the commission and the office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN),” the statement read.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, wishes to categorically state that it is compliant with all provisions of law and has no intention to stoke a misunderstanding over requests from the office of the attorney-general and minister of justice.

“Furthermore, the commission’s mandate, operational philosophy and the conduct and pronouncements of its officials do not countenance any activity on the fringes of the law. It is therefore untenable for there to be any suggestion that the EFCC or the commission’s principal officials are either in conflict with or readying for a ‘showdown’ with the AGF or other officials of government.

“All the brouhaha raised in recent days over a nonexistent conflict between the EFCC and the office of the AGF only go to underline the fact that corruption can and is fighting back in a variety of ways.”