Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has warned illegal oil bunkerers in the Niger Delta region to desist from acts of oil theft and economic sabotage.

He gave the warning yesterday, Tuesday, January 7, 2020 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while addressing the media. According to him, illegal oil bunkering is a terrible leakage of the economy and EFCC would not relent in fighting it.

“Let me also use this medium to warn all illegal oil bunkerers to desist from their nefarious operations. The EFCC is resolute in its fight against economic sabotage and oil theft. The Niger Delta is highly significant to our national economy and the commission will continue to do all that is lawful and patriotic in ensuring that operators of illegal oil bunkering are brought to book,” he said.

The EFCC Acting Chairman, who is on a Working Visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the commission, stressed that illegal oil bunkerers would face tougher times this year.

He paid an inspection visit to the 6th Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, where vehicles forfeited to the Federal Government by illegal oil dealers are being parked. Magu explained that all the forfeited vehicles belong to the Federal Government and the processes for their auction are still ongoing.

“All the vehicles forfeited belong to government. The processes are ongoing. We are following processes stated in the Procurement Act. We are not hiding anything. All the vehicles auctioned are still there. The auction processes continue until payments and reconciliation are made,” he said.

He commended the media for its advocacy roles, stressing that it remains an ally in the fight against corruption. He tasked Nigerians to be more active in lending support to the EFCC so that economic and financial crimes would be more frontally tackled. “This is a year of decision. Every Nigerian must take ownership of the fight against corruption,” he said.

On the issue of a perpetual injunction restraining the EFCC from investigating officials of Rivers State Government, Magu said that events had overtaken the judgment and that there are several rulings that had knocked off the injunction.

“That judgment cannot stand the test of time. The judgment is overtaken by events and there are several judgments that had nullified the injunction. The matter is now in Supreme Court,” he said.

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