Court Dismisses Suits Seeking Magu’s Removal As EFCC Acting Chair

Some suits seeking the removal of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu were on Wednesday dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The suits for Magu’s removal, according to the plaintiffs were predicated on the grounds that his appointment and screening was twice rejected by the Senate. As a result, he has been in acting capacity.

The plaintiffs added that Magu, who has been acting since 2015 was not fit to serve in that capacity.

But while delivering judgement, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu held that there was a lacuna in the law by not providing for the timeframe within which a person could act as EFCC’s chairman.

She noted that although the lacuna ought not to be exploited to “install” Magu in office in substantive capacity without the Senate confirmation, it had given the President as the appointor “the proverbial yam and the knife to do as he pleases” with the appointment of the EFCC chairman.

Magu was appointed acting chairman of the EFCC on 9 November 2015 after Ibrahim Lamorde (who has earlier served twice) was sacked by Buhari.

Both Lamorde and Magu served during Nuhu Ribadu’s time at the anti-graft agency and were also credited with part of the success Ribadu recorded in his time.