Whereas the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has declared that the latest indicting report from the Department of State Service, DSS, to the Ministry of Justice, on Ibrahim Magu, the embattled Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is a vindication of its position not to confirm Magu’s appointment, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has denied that his office has received any such fresh document.
The document, which is a scathing indictment of Magu, was widely circulated on Friday and is said to be the contents of a letter to the Minister of Justice cataloguing Magu’s poor sense of judgment and willingness to compromise official documents for personal interest, something which, it said, betrayed the high level of integrity that should be the watchword of the holder of such office as EFCC Chairman.
The letter was a follow-up to the security report earlier submitted to the Presidency and the Senate, which formed the basis of the latter’s refusal to screen and confirm Magu.
In the letter from the DSS, signed by one Folashade Bello, for the Director-General, the DSS said it provided a copy of the confessional statement by Air Commodore Mohammed Umar, a suspect being prosecuted by the Service.
Salacious details of discoveries the DSS claimed were acts capable of compromising the acting chairman (now and if confirmed) were provided in the fresh report. The letter also accused Magu of conniving with the retired Air Force personnel to embark on untoward acts, which gave him away as someone not qualified to hold the top office.
The report stated in part: “An officer appointed as Ag. Chairman of EFCC should by all means be one of impeccable credentials, with proven integrity and capacity to lead the nation’s fight against graft in high and low places.
Thus far, it is evident from Magu’s antecedents”, the report then alleged, “that he is by no means that kind of officer”. But Malami, last night, cleared the air on the alleged new probe of Magu, saying there was no such enquiry.
We’re vindicated – Senate
Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, yesterday, stated that the leaked report of the DSS had vindicated the decision of the legislative chamber to reject the nomination as Chairman of EFCC.
In a statement in Abuja, Abdullahi stated: “Following several calls made to me today by journalists seeking my comments on the leaked report on Mr. Ibrahim Magu, which was more damning than the one submitted to us, I can only say that myself and my colleagues have been vindicated.
“From that report which is now public, it is obvious the DG DSS even tried to give Magu soft landing in the report that was sent to the Senate (earlier).
The recent report is messier and shows that our decision not to confirm his nomination was right. “We therefore call on all Nigerians to continue to have full confidence and trust in the Nigerian Senate as it discharges its responsibilities according to the letter and spirit of the Nigerian constitution”.
EFCC Chair not under new probe – AGF
…denies receiving DSS report.
Malami, in an exclusive chat with Sunday Vanguard, denied receiving any new communication from the DSS against Magu. According to the said communication, which originated from a group which calls itself ‘Justice Advocacy’, and said to have been dispatched from the DSS to the AGF, Magu was not qualified to be made the boss of the anti-graft agency for failing integrity test.
Malami denied receiving such a communication from the DSS and said his office was unaware of any new issue against Magu.
Malami, in response to Sunday Vanguard’s enquiry, said: “No new investigation has been sanctioned by the Presidency and no new submission has been entertained and or received by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation in relation to the matter which has long been closed with the submission of the report over same to the Presidency”.
