Corrupt Nigerians deserve jail built in Boko Haram den, Sambisa: Anti-graft boss

Nigeria

Nigeria’s anti-corruption chief, Ibrahim Magu, has proposed that the federal government should build a prison facility in one of the country’s forests, where only corrupt politicians will be held.

The Sambisa forest, located in the northeastern Borno State, is the main hideout of the insurgent group Boko Haram.

Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was speaking during the opening of his commission’s offices in the north central Kaduna State on Thursday.

“We want to call for the establishment of a prison in Sambisa forest in order to keep away corrupt people from our midst,” he said.

“In this case, the judiciary has direct influence to help in the fight against corruption. Concerted efforts are being made by some big Nigerians to neutralise the fight against corruption. We must change the narrative by fighting back those who do not want the fight to succeed,” he added.

Magu has been acting head of the EFCC under President Muhammadu Buhari. Despite the refusal of the country’s senate to accent to him as the substantive head, Abuja has stated that he will continue in his acting role for as long as Buhari remained president.

President Buhari in December last year ordered a probe into corruption allegations against Magu and another top official. The Senate had at the time refused to pass him as substantive EFCC boss citing corruption allegations.

A fact check by some media portals however indicate that Mr Magu who continues to lead the top anti-corruption outfit is just a victim of political vendetta by some high ranking officials he is pursuing on charges of corruption.

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and most populous nation, continues to grapple with massive corruption within and outside of government. Buhari came to power in 2015 with the pledge to fight corruption, defeat Boko Haram and revamp the economy.