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The Department of State Services has
said the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has failed integrity test, warning that he
will hinder President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war.
The Senate had on Thursday rejected the nomination of Magu by Buhari as the Chairman of the EFCC.
The upper chamber of the National Assembly cited “security reports” as the reason for the rejection. A report in which Magu’s activities were
alleged to have made him ineligible to hold the office.
The letter, dated October 3, was
addressed to the Clerk of the Senate, in reference to a letter by the
Senate, dated September 21, 2016, asking for Magu’s security check.
The report, which listed several alleged
malpractices against the EFCC boss, said 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.
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, allegedly
and “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.
It added that the bank chief had been linked with a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The DSS stated that after the arrest of
service chiefs by the EFCC, including Badeh, Umar and Amosu, Magu’s
ally, while under interrogation by the service, had confessed that he
didn’t want Amosu to be probed, the reason why the EFCC arraigned Amosu
after his friend’s interrogation.
The acting EFCC boss was also accused in the report of making false allegations against individuals “for personal reasons.”
The report said, “The circumstances
surrounding the return of Magu to the EFCC and the role played by
Lamorde and their close relationship are clear indications of his
culpability in the allegation of corruption tendencies of the
Lamorde-led EFCC.”
The DSS also alleged that “Magu uses
only his police cronies to execute operations,” adding that the fact
that the cronies had acquired landed properties “led credence to the
questions about his integrity.”
The report added, “In this light, Magu
has failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability
to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration.”
In rejecting Magu, the upper chamber of the National Assembly had cited “security reports” as the reason for the rejection.
The screening had been listed on the Order Paper as part of the activities at the chamber for the day.
The lawmakers were to conduct a confirmatory screening for Magu and four members of the EFCC on their nomination.
The plan to conduct the confirmatory screening had allegedly divided the senators.
It was reliably learnt that at the usual
pre-session meeting by the principal officers on Thursday, which held
at the Senate President’s office, the lawmakers engaged themselves in a
shouting match.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media
and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, before the end of the
closed-door session, announced that the lawmakers had rejected Magu’s
nomination and would not screen him.
Abdullahi, who read from a statement
while addressing journalists, said, “The Senate of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria wishes to inform the general public that based on security
reports available to the Senate, the Senate cannot proceed and confirm
the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as the Executive Chairman of the EFCC.
“Accordingly, the Senate hereby rejects
the said nomination and has returned the said nomination to Mr.
President for further action.”
In an attempt by journalists to ask
Abdullahi questions, especially on the reported power play involving
Magu, individuals and the Presidency and the Senate leadership, the
Senator said, “There’s no confusion here. We have said it is based on
security reports. Please, all of us – public officers – go for security
screening. Everybody! And we are saying based on security reports, we
cannot proceed and confirm (Magu) and we are rejecting it (the
nomination) and returning it to Mr. President for further action. That
is just the statement.’’
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