President Muhammadu Buhari would reportedly insist on his choice of Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According
to The Nation, Buhari is studying the reasons given by the Senate for
the rejection of Magu, and that he would make his position known to the
upper chamber in the coming week.
The
report said Buhari prefers and trusts Magu to oversee the affairs of the
anti-graft agency and that he is not convinced that the man is not fit
for the job.
The source said:
"Personally, the President prefers Magu and he is standing by him. As at
this week, the position of the President has not changed.
"There is no doubt that the President’s advisers have recommended the retention of Magu and he is likely to heed their advice.
"As
I am talking to you, there is no fresh security report or any updated
information which can make Buhari to turn against Magu. So, he is likely
to stand by his letter to the Senate.
"At personal level, Buhari has confided in his key aides that he wants Magu in charge of EFCC."
The
Senate first rejected Magu's nomination after a damning report against
him by the Department of State Service (DSS), declaring him unfit for
the job on grounds of corruption.
Following
his second rejection by the Red Chamber, the DSS reportedly forwarded
more detailed report and documents against Magu to the Attorney-General
of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Details of the documents, which was leaked to the media on Friday, March 24 - see here - purportedly proves the acting EFCC chairman is not fit to retain his job.
Magu, however, has responded to the new report in a counter memo to the AGF, declaring the allegations false in its entirety.
Magu said: "Sir, it is important to situate my relationship with Commodore Mohammed Umar (rtd), in proper perspective.
"Our
paths crossed when we became members of the Presidential Committee on
the investigation on arms procurement. He was instrumental in getting
some of the information that helped the committee to make significant
breakthrough in its assignment.
"Beyond
that, the relationship between Umar and myself is one of professional
acquaintance, devoid of issues of conflict of interest. So, it comes to
me with shock, the imputation by the DSS that we have a "mutually
beneficial relationship".
"This
appears suggestive that Mohammed and I were involved in activities that
could be said to be untoward. I certainly have no knowledge of such
activities.
"The claim that EFCC
documents, including EFCC letters addressed to the Vice President and
being investigation reports on the activities of Emmanuel Kachikwu and
his brother Dumebi Kachikwu, were found in his home during a search by
the DSS came to me as a surprise.
"If
that is correct, he should be made to disclose how he came by such
documents. I never discussed my official duties with him let alone give
him documents pertaining to investigations being conducted by the
Commission.
"Interestingly,
Mohammed was detained for several months by the DSS. In all those
months, did he claim that I mandated him to commit any crime or that I
was an accomplice to any crime? If there is any such claim, I will
wholeheartedly like to be confronted with the allegation.
"It
is interesting to note that when Mohammed was eventually charged to
court, the charges against him were money laundering and illegal
possession of firearms, and nothing related to my purported "shady"
relationship with him."
He
explained the circumstances in which EFCC files were found in his house
after the removal of the pioneer Chairman of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
At this time, Magu was serving in the Police Force as the head of the Economic Governance Unit.
He said:
"It is true that my residence was searched on the orders of Mrs. Farida
Waziri, shortly after she succeeded Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as Chairman of
the EFCC and some documents relating to cases under investigation were
found in my house. At the time of the raid, I was yet to formally hand
over to my successor, Umar Sanda, as head of the Economic Governance
Unit.
"My schedule at the time
warranted that I worked round the clock and it was impossible to
conclude all assignments without working at home.
"The
documents found in my house were actually found in my office bag where I
kept documents relating to investigations. I was in the process of
handing over and it would be wrong to suggest that I willfully kept the
Commission’s files at home.
"Nevertheless,
the incident was thoroughly investigated by the police as I was placed
on suspension without pay for 20 months. But in the end, I was
reprimanded, recalled and promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police.
"It
is important, sir, to draw your attention to the fact that some of us
that worked closely with Ribadu were victimised after his exit.
"And
my ordeal was orchestrated as punishment for being the chief
investigative officer for most of the high-profile cases involving
politically exposed persons some of whom became very influential in
government at the time."
On the N39.8 million apartment rented for him, Magu said it was false that the house was also furnished for N43 million.
He added: "I
live in the official residence of the Chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This accommodation, contrary to the
report of the DSS, is not my private home, neither was it rented and
furnished for me by Commodore Umar Mohammed (rtd).
"It
was rented and furnished by the Ministry of the Federal Capital
Territory through the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, under the
safe house scheme.
"It is also
false that the house was rented for N20 million per annum and furnished
for N43 million. The entire cost for both two-year rent and the
furnishing of the house is N39.628 million.
"Details of the transaction are contained in the contract award letter and payment schedule which are attached to this letter."
Buhari is expected to officially write the Senate next week on his position in the matter.
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