Confusion over Magu’s whereabouts; as presidential panel commences investigations

Amid viral reports that the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has been arrested and is being questioned by Department of State Services (DSS), the service has come out to deny it arrested him.
But there are unverified reports that he may have gone to face a presidential panel probing reports against him. The DSS, it was gathered, is part of the panel, “though it is not driving the investigation and cannot be said to have arrested him”.
The DSS spokesman, Dr.Peter Afunaya was categorical in a statement on Monday, informing “the public that it did not arrest Ibrahim MAGU, Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as has been reported by sections of the media.
“The Service, has since, today, 6th July, 2020, been inundated with enquiries over the alleged arrest,” he added.
But insiders and other watchers are confused as to what actually happened.
Everyday.ng however gathered he may actually have gone to tell his side of the story to a Presidential panel set up to investigate some allegations levelled against him.
In a report published two weeks ago, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), had recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari the sacking of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu.
Malami, in a memorandum to the president, anchored his recommendation on several grounds “raging from diversion of recovered loot to insubordination and misconduct” by Magu.
According to a report by Sahara Reporters, the DSS in a 2016 report revealed that Magu was living in a N40m mansion.
“In December 2010, the Police Service Commission (PSC) 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. 
“Magu is currently occupying a residence rented for N40m at N20m per annum. This accommodation was not paid [for] from the commission’s finances, but by one Umar Mohammed, air commodore retired, a questionable businessman who has subsequently been arrested by the secret service.
“For the furnishing of the residence, Magu enlisted the Federal Capital Development Authority to award a contract to Africa Energy, a company owned by the same Mohammed, to furnish the residence at the cost of N43m.
“Investigations show that the acting EFCC chairman regularly embarked on official and private trips through a private jet owned by Mohammed.
“In one of such trips, Magu flew to Maiduguri alongside Mohammed with a bank MD who was being investigated by the EFCC over complicity in funds allegedly stolen by the immediate past petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke. SEE 
“Furthermore, the EFCC boss has so far maintained a high-profile lifestyle. This is exemplified by his preference for first-class air travels. On 24 June, 2016, he flew Emirate airlines first-class to Saudi Arabia to perform lesser hajj at the cost of N2.9m. This is in spite of Mr President’s directive to all public servants to fly economy class.
“Magu has fostered a beneficial relationship with Mohammed who by his confession approaches clients for possible exploitation, favours and associated returns,” the DSS report said.
According Thisday, two weeks ago, Magu is fighting back and his supporters within the Presidency say ” removing Magu at this time when he has given muscle to Buhari’s anti-corruption fight would be a mistake.”
“It is painful that the EFCC boss is facing certain powerful forces who have decided to remove him in spite of his remarkable achievements,” sources stated.
But sources said given the weight of Malami’s allegations against Magu, the president may be inclined “to set up a probe panel that will look into the veracity of the allegations and make necessary recommendations.”
One of the sources told select journalists that “I can authoritatively tell you that though Magu has survived previous plots to remove him, the AGF’s legal opinion remains the deadliest plot to get Magu out of the EFCC as AGF’s letter to the president contained 22 weighty allegations that require Buhari’s decision on whether or not to send Magu’s name to the Senate for confirmation or replace him….. This is because the office of the AGF is the supervising ministry of the EFCC and so his legal opinion cannot be treated with levity.
“For example, Malami alleged accounting gaps or discrepancies of figures concerning the recovered assets, claiming that Magu was not transparent enough in the management of recovered assets…”
A Magu supporter said:” It will interest you to note that Malami accused the EFCC boss of disclosing a total naira recovery of N504 billion but lodged N543 billion in the Recovery Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Incidentally, this exceeded the disclosed figures by N39 billion.”
According to the supporter of the EFCC boss, what should be a point of commendation is now being used against Magu.
Others said: “Malami also accused Magu of blatant display of arrogance and insubordination to him as supervising minister of the EFCC.”
According to the source, Malami claimed that most of the recovered assets by the EFCC were allegedly sold by Magu without the knowledge of anyone.
“But it is unfortunate that this claim is at variance with the public auction of assets by the EFCC,“ the source added.
It will be recalled that many efforts have been made in the past to make the president to drop Magu, since his appointment as EFCC acting chairman on November 9, 2015.
The plot for his removal twice stalled his confirmation by the Eighth Senate, prompting him to remain the interim head of the nation’s foremost anti-graft agency.
However, when the presidency insisted on Magu being confirmed, the previous Senate demanded the reversal of a damning security report on the EFCC boss from the Department of State Services (DSS), which it had cited as the reason for his non-confirmation.
Many groups and individuals had also gone to court to challenge the continued stay of Magu as the acting chairman of the commission.
But Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, in a judgment delivered in 2019 over consolidated suits on Magu status, had held that there was no time limit in the law establishing the commission for him to act as the EFCC boss.
The judge further held that Buhari is holding the proverbial “yam and knife” on Magu, adding that the president should do the needful by sending the name of Magu to the Senate for confirmation.
Magu was appointed by the President on November 9, 2015 subject to confirmation by the Senate. But he has remained in acting capacity since then.
He was rejected twice by the 8th Senate, under the leadership of Dr Bukola Saraki, based on a security report by the Department of State Services.
▪︎ Additional reports by Sahara Reporters, Thisday