A prior presidential panel, which investigated the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, indicted him, a report published by the News Agency of Nigeria has alleged.
The report, according to NAN, noted that the embattled EFCC boss had been unable to account for the interest generated from N550bn cash recovered from 2015 to 2020.
The panel is separate from the panel led by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, which is currently probing Magu and other top officials of the agency.
The chairman of the previous committee was Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim and the members were DIG Anthony Ogbizi; a member from Federal Ministry of Justice; Mualledi Dogondaji from the EFCC; Hassan Abdullahi from the DSS; an unnamed member from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation; Chinedu Ifediora from the NFIU, while Mr Kazeem Attitebi served as the secretary.
The committee’s report, it was learnt, became the basis for the setting up of the Salami-led panel.
The report titled, ‘Final Report of the Presidential Investigation Committee on the EFCC Federal Government Recovered Assets and Finances from May 2015 to May 2020’ was obtained by the Federal Government-owned News Agency of Nigeria.
The report read in part, “Failure to report on the interest on actual lodgements clearly establishes that the interest element of over N550bn has been re-looted relating to the period under review.
“This is an apparent case of manipulation of data in a very brazen and unprofessional manner and this has greatly eroded the public confidence in the anti-corruption efforts.”
The panel said it was quite disturbing that conflicting figures were being circulated in the public space by the EFCC as the amount of recovered funds.
It said these inconsistencies cast serious doubt on the accuracy of figures submitted by the EFCC.
The committee said it was of the view that the EFCC could not be said to have fully accounted for cash recoveries made by it, noting that there were discrepancies between what the embattled chairman reported and the lodgements the commission made.
It added, “It must be pointed out that the discrepancy of more than N31bn does not include interest accrued in this account since it was opened.
“It therefore cast serious doubt on the credibility of the figures and means that substantial amount of money has not been accurately accounted for.”
NAN observed that the report had also confirmed the concerns of the public about contradictory recovery figures emanating from Magu.
The Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets revealed how the investigative reports on EFCC’s activities by the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit exposed acts of corruption and money laundering against some EFCC officials, including Magu.
The report added, “The NFIU reports established that the acting chairman has been using different sources to siphon money from the EFCC.
“The report has shown that a particular Bureau de Change, owned by Ahmed Shanono linked to the acting chairman based in Kaduna, has more than 158 accounts and has been receiving huge sums of funds.”
The committee accused Magu of paying a prominent Lagos-based senior advocate N28m.
…alleges he acquired N573m Dubai property through pastor
The panel accused the suspended EFCC boss of using one Pastor Omale to launder funds abroad.
Omale’s name was uncovered through an investigative report on EFCC’s activities by the NFIU.
According to the report, the unknown clergyman is alleged to have bought a property on behalf of Magu worth N573m in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“As an unknown pastor, the NFIU’s report showed the huge movement of funds ranging from N573,228,040.41,” the report said.
NAN also gathered that efforts had been intensified to expose the real identity of the pastor with a view to arraigning him for prosecution, if found culpable.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the said pastor to get his reaction were not successful. Several calls made to his mobile phone were not answered while the text message sent to him had yet to be replied as of 12:52am.
The committee accused the suspended EFCC boss of mishandling the probe of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The suspended EFCC boss was accused of failing to cooperate with authorities in the United Kingdom to facilitate effective prosecution of the case.
The report read in part, “In the Diezani Alison-Madueke case, the acting chairman is failing to further cooperate with the UK NCA (National Crime Agency) to enable them to charge the former minister to court in the UK.
“The acting chairman, despite his knowledge that Mrs Alison-Madueke will not be extradited to Nigeria until after her trial in the UK, has consistently been accusing the UK government on the pages of print and electronic media of not wanting to extradite her to Nigeria.”
Magu was also accused of deliberately refusing to provide documentary evidence that would make the office of the Attorney-General to commence the extradition process of Diezani Madueke.
“This has strained the EFCC’s relationship with Europe, our most strategic partner,’’ the report further observed.
NAN reported that Magu, who is being held at the Police headquarters, Abuja, is expected to reappear before the Salami probe panel on Monday to defend himself against several allegations.
No sacred cows in Buhari’s govt, EFCC bigger than Magu – Presidency
The Presidency on Saturday said those who held the belief that the ongoing investigation of the suspended the EFCC acting chairman was an indication of the regime’s failing anti-corruption fight had missed the point.
It said rather, the development was further proof that the fight was real and active.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, titled ‘Presidency’s statement on the suspension of Mr Ibrahim Magu’, said this was the first time the Presidency would react officially since Magu’s travails started on Monday when he was arrested and brought before the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel.
The statement added, “There is no better indication that the fight is real and active than the will to investigate allegations in an open and transparent manner against those who have been charged to be custodians of this very system.
“Under this President and government, this is our mantra and guiding principle. There are no sacred cows, and for those who think they have a halo over their heads, their days are also numbered.
“Mr Magu was not immune – and regardless of the obvious embarrassment that potential acts of wrongdoing by him, given the office he held, may appear for the government.
“No other administration in the history of Nigeria would have moved to bring into the light and public domain such an allegation.”
Shehu explained that a series of documented allegations were made against Magu, noting that a preliminary review of the allegations levelled against him and several other members of his staff revealed that there were grounds for a detailed investigation to be conducted, hence, an investigative panel was constituted in compliance with the extant laws governing the convening of such a body.
Justifying Magu’s suspension, Shehu added, “As is the proper procedure, when allegations are made against the chief executive of an institution, and in this case an institution that ought to be seen as beyond reproach, the chief executive has to step down from his post and allow for a transparent and unhindered investigation.”
He said Magu’s suspension would allow the EFCC to continue its work without the cloud of investigation hanging over its head, noting that the EFCC does not revolve around the personality of an individual and as such could not be seen through the prism of any individual.
He added, “Mr Magu is being availed the opportunity to defend himself and answer the allegations against him. This is how it should be, as is the fact that under the Laws of Nigeria every citizen is presumed and remains innocent until proven guilty.
“What is however important is that there must be accountability and transparency and our people must realise that they would be held to account. This is the building block in the fight against corruption, the establishment of the concept of accountability and the recognition of the rule of law.”
Magu’s bail request receiving attention, he’ll be released Monday – Lawyer
Counsel for Magu, Mr Tosin Ojaomo, on Saturday, expressed confidence that his client would be released from detention on Monday.
Ojaomo told Sunday PUNCH that he had met Magu at the detention facility at the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Garki Area 10, in Abuja, and had a client-lawyer interview with him for about an hour on Saturday.
He had on Friday applied to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to release Magu on bail.
Ojaomo said, “Magu is not on trial. He has been appearing before the panel which is just a fact-finding panel. Our only concern is that he is in detention. We strongly believe that he will be released on Monday unfailingly.
“Our application for bail is receiving attention. Those celebrating that Magu is gone should be ready to face more crisis as long as they continue to partake in corruption.”
Ojaomo told our correspondent on Saturday that Magu, whom he reportedly met in high spirits, denied Malami’s allegations during their client-lawyer interview session at the FCID facility on Saturday.
The lawyer added, “He told me the allegations are frivolous, vexatious and are all concocted to blackmail him and subject him to public ridicule and opprobrium, nothing more. I am more confident now. If a man is innocent, he will not be shaken. He is not bothered. He is waiting for his name to be cleared so he can fight the more. Magu is coming back. Magu has not done anything wrong.”
The lawyer said the allegations raised by the AGF had been responded to, adding that his client had not been allowed to be represented by a lawyer at the panel.
