Magu Was Overlook For Long Period Of Time Without Being Investigated By The Presidency – PDP

The acting acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, spent nights in police cell at the Force Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters in Area 10, Garki, Abuja.

Magu was quizzed on Monday  for about six hours by a Presidential panel, chaired by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami.

Noble Team gathered that Magu was detained at the FCID after the panel grilled him.

The panel will continue the interrogation  and may recommend the sack of the anti-graft boss, sources said.

One of the credible sources said the panel was constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe various allegations levelled against Magu following a petition by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and the Department of State Service (DSS).

Malami’s memo allegedly accused Magu of diversion of recovered loot.

The memo was said to contain 22 allegations against the embattled EFCC chairman.

One of our sources said the Salami panel had “quizzed Magu” who has been the acting chairman of the EFCC since when he was first nominated for the job by President Buhari in 2015.

“I am sure Justice Salami was selected to chair the panel because he will not compromise.

“This is a serious setback for the administration’s anti-corruption war.

“As it is now, Magu is a loner.

“He may be asked to handover to the most senior officer in the commission while the investigation continued.

“I don’t see him surviving this,” the source told one of our correspondents.

Another source told the Daily Trust yesterday that “it took a long time before President Buhari gave the green light for Magu to be interrogated.”

According to the source, “What happened recently was a tough decision…It was at the instance of the president and he (Buhari) agreed that Magu should be asked questions.

“This was based on the petitions and facts made available to him.

“Magu is the face of the anti-corruption war of the president but the allegations are heavy.

“So, I can assure you that it was a tough decision taken by the president in order to save his image and that of his administration,” he said.

It was clear that Magu was not allowed to go home after he faced the panel or the DSS took him into custody.

Why Magu was invited – Presidency

The Presidency recently said Magu was not arrested but rather invited so that he can respond to issues as they arise.

Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a text message in response to Daily Trust enquiries, said Magu’s attention was “immediately” needed as the presidential panel investigating the disposal of recovered assets began its sitting.

He said the EFCC boss was invited by a presidential panel investigating allegations of corruption against him and he complied.

He also said he hasn’t seen the memo purportedly written by Malami against Magu.

Journalists barred from covering proceedings

Journalists were  barred from the sitting of the panel set up to probe alleged violations against Magu.

Reporters that arrived at the venue to cover the event at about 3:20pm were denied access by security personnel.

“They said you people should excuse the use of this place for today,” a security official detailed to the venue, politely told reporters.

How DSS operatives intercepted Magu

Magu was reportedly stopped by DSS operatives while moving out of the Wuse II Annex of the EFCC in Abuja.

He was intercepted while his convoy was driving out of the premises.

A source described what happened as a sting operation, saying Magu might not have honoured an invitation if extended to him by the DSS, which necessitated his arrest.

Another source said the DSS wanted to arrest the EFCC boss last week but could not because of some reasons.

 

The Senate under Senator Bukola Saraki had refused to confirm his appointment, citing a 2016 report by the DSS.

The DSS in a 2016 report said Magu was not fit to serve as EFCC chairman.

Among other allegations, the secret agency in the report also said the Police Service Commission (PSC)  had in December 2010, found Magu guilty of action prejudicial to state security – withholding of EFCC files, sabotage, unauthorised removal of EFCC files and acts unbecoming of a police officer, and awarded him severe reprimand as punishment.

On his part, Magu has been complaining about the danger of fighting corruption, often being quoted in the media telling reporters that corruption fights back. Magu, like his predecessors, is facing his own problems.

His predecessor Lamorde was removed by President Buhari in a shroud of corruption allegations.

Also, Lamorde succeeded Farida Waziri whose sack was announced on a Twitter handle on November 23, 2011 during the time of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Her removal followed allegations that the commission was selective in its investigations, especially as many members of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were being prosecuted.

A member of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Femi Odekunle, said Monday that the interrogation of Magu was part of the power play at the Presidential Villa.

Odekunle said in a statement: “Of course, the real information reaching us is that he (Magu) was only invited to appear before a panel set up not long ago concerning some alleged memo by Malami, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, regarding some alleged malfeasance by Magu, along with nominations for his replacement.

“It was just that those sent to invite him for whatever reasons best known to them invited some press along and made it look an arrest.

“That mischief has been confirmed by some apparent afterthought denial by the DSS that it was not an arrest.

“While PACAC has not had a formal meeting on this development, I have discussed with the chairman and some other members and the following can be considered as PACAC’s preliminary reaction to this development:

“The alleged originating Malami memo, up to the current “arrest “ seems an outcome of power-play by power blocs in the corridors of power in which Malami appears to be an arrow-head or major agent of a power bloc that is not really interested in, or in support of, Buhari’s anti-corruption fight.

“One can recall the earlier non-confirmation experience of Magu by the 8th Assembly, orchestrated by a power bloc and supported by the DSS ‘Security’ reports.

“One can also note the non-resubmission of Magu for confirmation since May, 2019 despite the apparent willingness of the 9th Assembly to consider it this time around.

“Furthermore, one must take cognisance of the alleged memo referred to earlier i.e by Malami concerning alleged corrupt practices by Magu, along with his own nominations for Magu’s replacement.

“Again, we cannot forget Malami’s demand of certain high profile case files from Magu which the latter has been resisting.

“The position of PACAC is that while Magu, or any official of whatever status, must be nailed if found to be corrupt, the president must be careful not to shoot his anti-corruption fight /modest achievements in the foot, and not to forget that EFCC under Magu has been the administration’s anti-corruption poster-face.

“It may not be contestable that Malami has been exploiting his alleged loyalty and closeness to the president for his personal /power bloc agenda.

“For, to the best of PACAC’s knowledge and observations, Malami has not manifested any genuine commitment to the anti-corruption fight,” he said.

PDP asks Buhari to allow Magu’s investigation

The PDP Monday asked President Buhari to show the genuineness of his war against corruption by allowing unhindered investigation of Magu.

The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Nigerians were already aware that Magu had been pulled in for questioning, adding that Buhari should allow the law to take its course.

“The PDP holds that the development around the EFCC acting chairman as well as the desperate attempt by the Commission to cover or wave off his investigation, only raise more integrity questions regarding Magu’s activities in the EFCC.

 

“Only last month, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, released a memo in which he indicted Magu of alleged diversion of recovered funds and fraudulent sale of assets seized by the EFCC.

“Our party, Nigerians and indeed, the international community are keenly monitoring the development and expect the Buhari Presidency to muster the courage to carry out a comprehensive investigation and make its findings available to the public.

“Now that Magu has been pulled in for investigation, the federal government should preserve the integrity of the office of the chairman of the EFCC by ordering him to step aside while investigators take charge of every activities of the office to forestall destruction of evidence as well as unnecessary interferences in the matter,” the party said.