Professor Itsejuwa Sagay is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC). In this interview with JOHN CHIKEZIE, he speaks on the challenges of the justice system, suspension of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, legality of virtual proceedings and sundry issues
What do you consider as the greatest challenge facing the nation’s justice system?
I would say that the major challenges are integrity, honesty and lack of commitment to the fight against corruption. And by this integrity, I am referring to some of the lawyers at the bar and judges at the bench who promote and encourage corrupt practices.
What is your impression regarding the independence of the judiciary?
The judiciary has absolute independence and no one is bothering them at all. There is no one controlling the judiciary. But the problem is how they utilise and exercise that independence. Do they exercise that independence for the sake of justice?
And my answer is that they don’t; most of them use it for personal or selfish gains, especially some of them at the Supreme Court level. Therefore, they exercise it only on technicalities that mock justice.
What are your thoughts on the recent approach of the anti-corruption war going on in Nigeria?
I think the anti-corruption war in Nigeria, under the leadership of the EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu, is going on exceedingly well. In fact, the tragedy of what is happening now is that prior to the incidence of Magu’s detention, we had two of the finest Nigerians heading the two most important anti-corruption agencies
We have Bolaji Owasanoye, a very brilliant and totally incorruptible person now heading the ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission). And we have seen how productive the ICPC has been within the past one year.
And the other person is Magu, who has produced tremendous and exceptional results in the fight against corruption. Magu holds the highest records of recoveries, in terms of looted/stolen funds, in the history of this country. He has also achieved convictions of almost 3,000 persons, including high profile people. He contributed immensely to the stoppage of advanced fee fraud, yahoo (Internet fraud) and also put an end to petroleum (fuel) subsidy fraud.
There are so many other things: including the introduction of BVN (Bank Verification Number) which has helped to eliminate and curtail the multiplicity of bank accounts created by people; and the adoption of a Treasury Single Account (TSA) for all state governments which was implemented by this administration.
Moreover, this government has been phenomenally successful in the fight against corruption, especially when you consider the monies that have been recovered from America and so on. It just keeps rolling in.
The most important part would be to know how these recovered funds are been utilised, but I’ll tell you that It’s been used to cater for the plight of the most deprived Nigerians. For instance, the N5000 given to the poorest families, the quick loans given to medium and small scale businesses, including the trainings for young people’s skill acquisition programmes.
I mean, it’s so phenomenal what this government has done. But, it’s a pity and I feel so sorry for Nigerians because we don’t appreciate what this government has done in the past five years.
Nigerians are so disgruntled and talk nonchalantly and irresponsibly, and sadly, the so called elites, who ought to know better, fall under this category of people.
So, it’s phenomenal what has been achieved and Magu has been the face of that success. Therefore, I would say that the anti-corruption war has been going on extremely well.
How do you see the statement by Femi Odekunle, a professor and member of the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACAC) that Magu is a victim of power play?
You know I can’t really comment on Professor Odekunle’s opinion because PACAC already issued a statement in that regard. In the statement, PACAC made it clear that the opinion of Odekunle was his own personal view on the issue of Magu’s arrest and not the voice of the committee.
This is solely because PACAC will not issue a statement until the Hon. Justice Ayo Salami (a former President of the Court of Appeal) completes his work and issues a report. This is because we have absolute confidence in him (Justice Salami), as a man of outstanding integrity and a well-respected jurist, who would deliver justice in this case. Justice Salami is currently the one handling the presidential investigation panel at the State House.
So this is why we are not in a hurry to express our view. Plus, the implication is that if we express a view now and later contradicted by the outcome of the investigation, then it would be very embarrassing.