The spokesman of the Nigerian Senate, Mr. Sabi Abdullahi has said that a majority of Senators rejected the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairmanship nominee, Ibrahim Magu, because of his failure to defend himself and clear the air regarding the allegations raised by the Department of State Services (DSS), challenging his integrity.
He said this Wednesday night on ‘Politics Today’, a live programme on Channels TV anchored by Seun Okinbaloye.
According to Abdullahi, the EFCC Ag. chairman took the allegations with ‘kid’s glove’ and simply dismissed them by saying ‘My written submissions on the DSS allegations against me are with the Presidency. I didn’t know that I would be asked questions from the DSS letter. So, I didn’t come with them’.
The Senate spokesman said that such a response to allegations that bothered on one’s integrity showed lack of earnestness and sincerity.
The allegations that nailed Magu as contained in the DSS letter include: maintaining a high profile lifestyle, parading a twin personality, personal vendetta and intimidation of opposition figures, disclosure of classified information to private associates and cronies amongst others.
Read the full DSS letter below:
RE: NOMINATION OF MR IBRAHIM MAGU MUSTAPHA AS EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION (EFCC) SECURITY REPORT OF THE NOMINEE
Your letter NASS/CS /SA/01/17/ 08 /02 dated 7th March 2017 requesting for security report on the above named nominee refers
The security report being requested for on Ibrahim Magu MUSTAPHA the nominee or the Executive Chairmanship position of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has already been submitted to the Senate via this Services’ letter No. SV.114/ 2 of 3rd October 2016
containing fourteen (14) paragraphs.
Please accept once again the assurances of the esteemed regards of the DGSS.
F. O. ADAMS
For: DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SS
August 2008, following a search at his residence during the tenure of Farida WAZIRI (AIG/Rtd) as the commission’s chairman, some sensitive EFCC documents which were not supposed to be at his disposal were discovered. He was subsequently redeployed to the police after days of detention and later suspended from the Force. In December 2010, the Police Service Commission 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.
“4. Notwithstanding, sequel to the appointment of Ibrahim Lamorde as Chairman of the EFCC in 2011, he made the return of Magu to the EFCC a top priority. Both men had worked together at the commission when Lamorde served as Head of Operations of the agency. Magu remained a top official of the commission until he was appointed to succeed Lamorde.
“5. 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/Rtd), a questionable businessman and ally of subject who has subsequently been arrested by this service. For the furnishing of the residence, Mohammed enlisted the Federal Capital Development Authority to award a contract to Africa Energy, a company owned by the same Mohammed to lavishly furnish the residence at the cost of N43m.
“6. Investigations show that the Acting EFCC Chairman regularly embarks on official and private trips through a private carrier, Easyjet, owned by Mohammed. In one of such trips, Magu flew to Maiduguri, alongside Mohammed and the MD of Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo, who was being investigated by the commission over complicity in funds allegedly stolen by the immediate past Petroleum Minister, DiezaniAlison-Madueke.
“7. Furthermore, the EFCC boss has so far maintained a high profile lifestyle. This is exemplified by his preference for First Class air travels. On 24th June, 2016, he flew Emirate Airlines’ First Class to Saudi Arabia to perform the Lesser Hajj at the cost of N2,990,196. This is in spite of Mr. President’s directive to all public servants to fly Economy Class.
“8. Investigation also revealed that Magu parades a twin personality. At one level, he is the czar who has no friends, no favourites and is ready to fight corruption to a standstill. However, with a key friend in the person of Umar Mohammed (Air Commodore/Rtd), a controversial businessman, he has betrayed the confidence reposed in him by the present administration. Whereas Magu portrays himself as very secretive, he has fostered a mutually beneficial relationship with Mohammed who, by his confession, approaches ‘clients’ for possible exploitation, favours and associated returns. This was facilitated with official secrets divulged by Magu and from which dealings he is believed to have been drawing considerable benefits.
“9. This was evidenced by the number of official and classified documents he made available to his associates, especially Mohammed. After a search of Mohammed’s premises, a forged letter of the Office of the Vice President, dated 20th May, 2016, was recovered. The letter was a fictitious investigation report from Vice President to Mr. President, requesting for approval to commence further probe into a matter allegedly involving Hon. Minister of State Petroleum. Attached to the letter were two EFCC letters dated 13th April, 2016, and another 24th March, 2016, addressed to the Vice President being investigation reports on the activities of Emmanuel Kachikwu and his brother Dumebi Kachikwu. Similarly recovered during the search were information on assets and personal details of Kachikwu.
10. Also, following the arrest of three former Airforce chiefs by EFCC, namely, Alex Badeh, Umar and Amosu from whom huge sums of money and property were recovered, Umar and Alex Badeh were arraigned in court. It was only after the arrest of Mohammed by this service that the EFCC hurriedly arraigned Amosu. Mohammed later confessed that he never wanted Amosu tried, describing him as his former boss and he saw in MAGU, a willing accomplice.
“11. Furthermore, findings revealed that in a bid to settle some personal scores, subject placed one Stanley Inye Lawson on a Security Watch Action, while in actual fact Lawson was working in the interest of the Federal Government.
However, the action was later expunged following the discovery that Lawson was falsely accused by Magu for personal reasons.
“12. The circumstances surrounding Magu’s return to EFCC at the instance of the former chairman, Lamorde, and their close working relationship ever since is a clear indication of his culpability in the allegations of corrupt tendencies of the Lamorde led EFCC.
“13. To cover his tracks, Magu uses only his police cronies to execute operations. This, coupled with discoveries that such police cronies have acquired a lot of landed property, lends credence to the questions about his integrity.
“14. In the light of the foregoing, Magu has failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration.”
Nigeria knows what is right and what is wrong. It is a shame that Nigerians more often than not, chose the wrong. The letter on Magu was dated 2016. But the presidency still was presenting Magu for confirmation in 2017? With this much on him, Magu should have withdrawn his name from nomination and spare the administration the embarrassment of nominating a crook to head EFCC.
This is how we want things to be done in Nigeria. Democracy seems to be working. Nominations by the executive arm of the government do not necessarily have to pass through without proper screening by the legislature.When things like this happen in Nigeria, there is hope for the common man, and we will be earning the respect that we deserve.
Whew…I thought that the DSS report was about “piles” of raw cash ($, £, €, etc) found in one of Mr. Magu’s houses…did not know that it’s only EFCC’s documents that he’s supposedly not to be in possession of.
No wonder why he was rejected…he is a bad person because he doesn’t know how to take Nigeria’s money.
Cash Ezimako