On Saturday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) challenged internet celebrity Ismaila Mustapha, also known as Mompha, to prove corruption allegations against its operatives.
In a statement, a spokesman for the anti-graft agency Dele Oyewale described Mompha’s allegations as “malicious and unsubstantiated”.
“The claim, coming from an accused in a criminal trial for conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal activities, failure to disclose assets and property, ought to be ignored as the rantings of a sinking defendant. But his claims strike at the heart of the Commission’s most prized value-integrity and must be challenged,” the EFCC said.
“The Commission is alarmed that the accused will abandon the platform offered by the court to launch a media war against it through spurious claims.
“If he believes that raising phantom accusations against the Commission will scare it from diligently prosecuting his case, he is mistaken as no amount of scaremongering will deter the Commission from pursuing the case to logical conclusion.”
The EFCC spokesman said agency boss Ola Olukoyede has directed that Mompha be invited to bring “evidence of any issue of corruption against any staff of the Commission”.