Ayo Salami submits report on Magu to Buhari, recommends next EFCC chairman should not be a police officer

By our reporter| Justice Ayo Salami, the chairman of the panel set up to investigate allegations of corruption against the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, on Friday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint the next chairman of the anti-corruption agency should come from outside of the Police Force.

Salami who made the recommendations after presenting a report by the panel to the President note that the four previous chairmen of the EFCC since inception came from the police, and canvassed that persons from other law enforcement or security agencies as provided in the EFCC establishment Act of 2004 should be given the chance to head the agency.

According to him, this will help the commission better reposition itself for greater effectiveness.

Salami said, “Four successive chairmen of the EFCC from inception, have been drawn from the police.

“Therefore, in appointing a new chairman of the EFCC, consideration should be given to candidates from other law enforcement or security agencies and core staff of the EFCC as provided in the EFCC establishment Act of 2004.”

“It is also important to point out that there are 970 policemen, 114 drivers and 641 mobile policemen and 215 operators on secondment to the EFCC.

“Therefore, an exit plan for the disengagement and other personnel within two years from now should be considered. This will address the issue of no promotion of core staff for over nine years. For over nine years, some of the core staff are stagnant in one position which is unhealthy and is creating some sort of rivalry between the police and the core staff of the EFCC. Your excellency, our thinking here is that whoever you are appointing, other than a core EFCC staff should be in transitional capacity of two years, during which period arrangement can be made for appointment of the core EFCC staff who had proven themselves commendable”.

President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the panel earlier the year and it was given 45 days to investigate allegations of corruption against the suspended former EFCC boss by the minister of justice ans attorney general of the federation.

The time frame was extended further after the panel requested for more time.