We are not chasing musicians – EFCC boss, Magu

Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Wednesday, said that the Commission was not going after musicians.

He made this statement while speaking on the prosecution of musician, Afeez Fashola, a.k.a Naira Marley, for charges bordering on internet fraud at an interactive session with artistes, comedians and On-Air-Personalities in Abuja.

The EFCC boss emphasised that the commission had no issue with any member of the entertainment sector of the country.

“I have said it in the past and I will also like to restate, that the EFCC does not go after an innocent person.

“Our mandate is to rid Nigeria of any form of economic and financial crimes, and internet fraud is not excluded,”

Magu also sought to partner with Nigerian artistes and comedians in the fight against corruption particularly internet fraud.

EFCC acting spokesman, Mr Tony Orilade quoted the chairman to have told the stakeholders in the entertainment industry that they had a part to play in discouraging criminality in the society.

He said, “You have a very wide reach, so lend us your voices. Please let your works propagate and promote integrity and the right values.

“I urge you to raise a collective slogan against all forms of criminality among our youths, condemn in strong terms, ostentatious living without credible sources of income, particularly the get-rich-at-all-cost syndrome among the youths.

“We need you to join hands with the EFCC in this fight against corruption because we need you more than ever before to change the negative narratives about our country being havens of internet fraudsters.

“I have always stressed that we cannot claim to have the monopoly of knowledge of how to fight corruption at the EFCC.

“We are, however, driven by the passion to explore all frontiers that will enable us to achieve a better society for our children yet unborn – an egalitarian society and one which we all can be proud of.”

He noted that the engagement with the members of the creative and entertainment industry was out of great concern due to the increasing cases of “yahoo-yahoo” among Nigerian youths.