Magu in Serious Trouble as AGF Malami Queries Him and Orders Probe into DSS Allegations

The position of the acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu has come under severe scrutiny over allegations that he benefited from corrupt proceeds as AGF queries him.

EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu

 

Following President Muhammadu Buhari's directive, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has begun investigations into various allegations against some top Federal Government officials as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday.

 

It has been revealed that the AGF on Monday issued a query to the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu over allegations tabled against him by the Department of State Security Service.

 

The query was tendered along with allegations contained in the security report prepared by the Department of State Services which made the Senate reject his confirmation as the EFCC chairman last Thursday.

 

“The AGF has started enforcing the directive by the President. I can confirm to you that the minister has taken the first step by querying the Acting Chairman of the EFCC,” a source in the Federal Ministry of Justice revealed to Punch.

 

The source added, “Yes, he has received the query with the DSS report sent to the Senate on him.

“Ironically, the query only contains one of the letters written by the DSS to the Senate.

“I think he has no problem with the query, but the question being asked by some people is that, he ought to have been given time to respond to the allegations before the Senate took that position.”

 

The letter, dated October 3, was addressed to the Clerk of the Senate, in response to a letter by the Senate, dated September 21, 2016, asking for Magu’s security check.

 

According to Punch, details of the report by the DSS against the EFCC boss listed several alleged offences against the Magu, the DSS believed that his confirmation would frustrate the anti-graft drive of the Buhari-led administration.

 

Part of the allegations against Magu was his being in possession of EFCC documents in his private residence during the chairmanship of Farida Waziri. The DSS also made reference to the circumstances surrounding Magu’s arrest, detention and suspension by the Nigeria Police.

 

The secret service also alleged that the sum of N40m was paid for the rented apartment, which costs N20m per annum, where the acting EFCC chairman currently resides in Abuja. It added that the accommodation was not paid for from the commission’s account but by a presidential appointee, who had been under investigation.

 

The DSS alleged that after renting the apartment for Magu, the friend awarded a N43m contract for the furnishing of the accommodation. The appointee, who is a retired Air Commodore, was said to be a close associate and ally of Magu, and allegedly “runs questionable business” and was once arrested by the service.

 

The report, which cleared the other four EFCC appointees, said Magu flew a private jet owned by the retired military officer. The service also claimed that the EFCC boss was once in the same flight to Maiduguri with a Managing Director of one of the new generation banks, who it alleged, was under investigation.