By Wilson Ruvwoghor
Just who is investigating Ibrahim Magu, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), President Mohammadu Buhari who suspended him, the Attorney General, Regular Police or the Media?
I’ve nothing to gain, lose by the trials of Brother Hero, sorry, Magu, but it’s interesting how his being judged by the same measures he had judged his suspects amplifies the truism, what goes around comes around.
Magu had a knack for rapid media trials of suspected losers over which judgement always goes in his favour with impunity. On the basis of media trial, Magu could seal, confiscate or induce partial forfeitures of perceived loots while suspecta were still in his dungeons, some yet to make even a single appearance in actual court trial.
Today, he’s being served a dose of his own medicine. Since being arrested, government said invited, to his suspension, Magu has been exposed to a rash of media trials, with litany of charge sheets bloated with real or imaginary incriminating allegations, evidences thrown at him.
Expectedly, as the hunter who has become the hunted, Magu’s voice has been drowned in the media trial against him, like his past suspects. When he called the shots with impunity as EFCC boss, he was the toast of the media.
Every sound of his voice made news headlines, especially against suspected corrupt officeholders. He enjoyed impunity to even allegedly leak guided information to incite public hate and negativities against potential suspects, psychologically pronouncing them guilty in court of public opinion before they were dragged to courts.
Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami can glorify self for exposing Magu, but many are convinced that the exposers of Magu is not Malami. The quantum of allegations and disclosures could only be coming from among Magu’s subordinates in the commission, many out of sheer malice or vendetta, whether the allegations are true or trumped up.
It’s quite strange that Magu, less than a week in detention, is writing the Inspector General of Police, seeking bail. Here was a financial crime fighter who never believed in the liberty of bail for EFCC suspects. He would go to any length, at the expense of the Commonwealth, to muscle judges never to grant suspects bail, even if their rights allowed it.
Endnote? What’s all the celebration by Dino Melaye and the likes singing mockery of Magu and his sack. Has he lost the entire world? Has he lost anything really? Here was an Acting EFCC boss that served as much a substantive occupant could have served.
And believed it or not, not all of the real or imagined loot Magu may have allegedly raked from being EFCC boss thatcould ever be recovered. Even if the accusers discover all, any desperation to expose it all will consume quite too many of them, including the enemies within the commission.
At the end of the day, the nation, masses are actually the losers here again, not Magu. It is the Commonwealth that is always at stake here.
Wilson Ruvwoghor wrote from Ughelli, Delta State.
