The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has
\npetitioned Mr Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of
\nhuman rights defenders over alleged \u201cintimidation, harassment and unfair
\ntreatment of Mr Ibrahim Magu, Chairman of the Economic and Financial
\nCrimes Commission (EFCC) by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
\napparently working with other agencies of government to use a purported
\nsecurity report the Senate knew or ought to know is baseless and
\npolitically motivated to reject Mr Magu\u2019s confirmation as substantive
\nchairman of the EFCC.\u201d<\/p>\n
SERAP said that \u201cby relying on a report they knew or ought to know is
\nbaseless and politically motivated to reject Mr Magu\u2019s appointment as
\nchairman of the EFCC, the Senate of Nigeria has flagrantly violated his
\nright to a fair hearing, and is implicitly working to weaken, intimidate,
\nharass and ultimately undermine the independence and freedom of action of
\nthe EFCC in its efforts to combat high-profile official corruption.\u201d
\nThe organization urged Mr Forst to \u201curgently intervene in this matter to
\nstop further intimidation and harassment of a prominent anti-corruption
\ncampaigner and human rights defender.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the petition dated 16 December 2016 and signed by SERAP executive
\ndirector Adetokunbo Mumuni the organization said that, \u201cSERAP believes
\nthat the action by the Senate of Nigeria and other agencies of government
\napparently working with them undermines and violates Nigeria\u2019s
\ninternational obligation to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human
\nrights of the citizens, which inevitably creates a duty for the government
\nto establish efficient and independent anti-corruption mechanisms.\u201d<\/p>\n
The petition reads in part: \u201capart from the fact that the allegations
\nagainst Mr Magu are baseless and politically motivated, the Senate of
\nNigeria flagrantly denied him constitutionally and internationally
\nguaranteed right to a fair hearing by not providing him an opportunity to
\nrespond to the allegations against him. The Senate confirmation hearing
\ntherefore amounts to a nullification, or destruction of the very essence
\nof the fundamental principles of fair hearing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria relying on a baseless and
\npolitically motivated report declined to confirm the appointment of
\nIbrahim Magu as substantive chairman of the country\u2019s leading
\nanti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
\n(EFCC). The Senate claimed that its action was based on a purported
\nsecurity report forwarded to it by the State Security Service.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut SERAP has reviewed the security report, which primarily alleged that
\nsensitive and unauthorised EFCC official documents were found in Mr.
\nMagu\u2019s home. However, SERAP is aware that this allegation was part of the
\nconspiracy to harass Mr Magu and frustrate his anticorruption work, as he
\nwas unjustly detained for three weeks. Following investigation by the
\npolice authorities in 2008, Mr Magu was subsequently cleared of any
\nwrongdoing, and in fact promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of
\nPolice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe report also incorrectly stated Mr Magu currently occupies a residence
\nrented for N40 million at N20 million per annum and paid for by allegedly
\ncorrupt person.\u00a0But SERAP\u2019s finding shows that the property was in fact
\npaid for by the Federal Capital Development Administration.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSERAP thus believes that the purported rejection by the Senate of Nigeria
\nof Magu\u2019s appointment as the chairman of EFCC is politically motivated and
\nin bad faith and part of a persistent move by the National Assembly of
\nNigeria including the Senate and the House of Representatives and other
\nagencies of government apparently working with them to undermine the
\nongoing fight against corruption which Mr Magu is leading, and invariably,
\nthe independence and freedom of action of anticorruption agencies
\nincluding the EFCC.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSERAP is deeply concerned by intimidation, harassment and politically
\nmotivated allegations against one of the most efficient, focused,
\nconsistent and hardworking anti-corruption campaigners in our country.
\nThese politically motivated allegations are not only to victimize him as
\nthe head of EFCC but also to harass, intimidate and frustrate the work of
\nother anti-corruption and human rights campaigners and institutions in the
\ncountry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSERAP considers Mr Magu to be a human rights defender within the
\nprovisions of the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of
\nIndividuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect
\nUniversally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1998 (UN
\nDeclaration on Human Rights Defenders).\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSERAP therefore urges you to urgently assert your mandates to put
\npressure on the Senate of Nigeria and other agencies of government
\napparently working with them to end continuing harassment and intimidation
\nof Mr Magu by immediately withdrawing any politically motivated
\nallegations against him. We also urge you to send a strong message to the
\nSenate of Nigeria and other agencies of government that the campaign of
\nintimidation and harassment against human rights and anti-corruption
\ncampaigners is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned Mr Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders over alleged \u201cintimidation, harassment and unfair treatment of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55089,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n