WHO WILL BE THE NEXT IBRAHIM MAGU?

On Monday, July 6 2020, Ibrahim Magu woke up, took his bath, knotted one of his many fancy ties and dressed up in his usual sleek suit and set out on the streets of Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria. If anyone had told him as he was leaving home that morning that somebody born of a woman would have the audacity to block his convoy and order him to change his direction, I am almost certain that Ibrahim Magu would have laughed in the person's face and probably told the person that he was drinking a very bad variant of 'ogogoro'.

When Magu woke up that Monday, he was one of the most powerful men in Nigeria. Everyone, big or small, trembled at the mention of his name. He could order the arrest of anyone, detain anyone and using the enormous instruments under his control, send anyone to jail. After all, he was the Czar of President Buhari's anti-corruption fight, the fulcrum of Buhari's presidency.

Ibrahim Magu was powerful, so powerful. The Nigerian senate which has the constitutional powers to confirm or reject his appointment as Chairman of EFCC, twice refused to confirm him but it did not matter. Magu became bigger than the constitution and for five years, based on some twisted logic, bestrode the nation as "Acting Chairman" of the EFCC!

On July 6, in a commando style, Ibrahim Magu was waylaid on his way from the EFCC Formella Street office in Abuja, and forced to go to Aso Rock Villa, not to pally with the President, but to face a previously unknown presidential panel set up to investigate Magu's tenure and an alleged massive 'magu-magu' at the EFCC. They say, "wonders shall never end!". The evidence is there that in a twist of fate, Magu, the hunter, became the hunted.

Magu who is reported to live in luxury in a house rented in the incredible sum of N40m and furnished with N43m is said to have spent the night of his arrest sleeping on bare chairs at the Louis Edet Police Headquarters in Abuja.  

In the morning of July 6, Magu was a powerful man. In the evening, he was a powerless man. Those who gave Magu the power had taken it!

I have never met Ibrahim Magu. He is not my friend but as a Nigerian interested in the vicissitudes of our nation, I have followed the trajectory of his career.

The way the Magu matter is being handled troubles me. You do not need to be super brilliant to notice that in the matter, we appear to be working from the answer to the question. The way he was grabbed on the streets of Abuja like a convicted felon on the run is troubling. The fact that a hitherto unknown panel was specially set up for him at Aso Rock Villa despite the many investigative agencies in Nigeria, is troubling. The reported treatment of his lawyers is troubling.

When I saw the many unverified allegations against Magu being circulated by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), I was deeply worried. The News Agency of Nigeria owned by the Federal Government is not known to dwell in gossip or speculations. It has been a serious news organization. When NAN began to publish unproven facts against Magu, I did not need to be told that someone in government with a lot of leverage is determined to convict Magu without trial.

I know that there are many who would say, "God don catch am" and maybe they are right. I have no evidence that he has not done some or all of what he has been accused of. It is in the same way that I will not argue that his excesses may not have caught up with him but at some point, Nigeria will have to bring jungle justice to an end if we truly want to make progress. I am a man who believes that what distinguishes a great nation from a banana republic is the fair use of the law on everyone. As the English philosopher and physician, John Locke, did say, "the end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom".

Subject Magu to an open and fair process and let the chips fall where they may.

I am frightened that in Nigeria, we have become a nation of hunters. Everybody is haunting everybody. If you have a gun today, you use it to hunt your neighbour. That is why my young colleagues have had enough of FSARS and are protesting on the streets. Almost every serving governor is hunting his predecessor. Every local government chairman is hunting the guy who served before him and in the process, we twist the law as it pleases us or create new laws on the fly.

Today, Ibrahim Magu who used to own Nigeria cannot drive around in his usual large convoy. I am almost sure that the many policemen that tagged along and gave him protection would have been withdrawn. To all intents and purposes, the emperor has become naked. That should teach all of us a lesson that none of us will wield power forever.  None of us is God.

Which leaves me with the question: who will be the next Ibrahim Magu?

See you next week.