FACT-CHECK: Senate Confirmation: How DSS Lied Against EFCC Boss, Magu.

On Thursday, the Nigerian Senate declined to confirm the appointment of Ibrahim Magu as substantive chair of the country’s premier anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The upper legislative chamber claimed it could not approve the presidency’s request to confirm Mr. Magu based on a security report forwarded to it by the State Security Service.

On Thursday, the Nigerian Senate declined to confirm the appointment of Ibrahim Magu as substantive chair of the country’s premier anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The upper legislative chamber claimed it could not approve the presidency’s request to confirm Mr. Magu based on a security report forwarded to it by the State Security Service.

“The Senate wishes to inform the public that based on available security report, the Senate cannot proceed with the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” the spokesperson for the Senate, Aliyu Abdullahi, said in a statement read to journalists.

“The nomination of Ibrahim Magu is hereby rejected and has been returned to the President for further action,” Mr. Abdullahi said.

The Senate did not provide the EFCC chairman an opportunity to respond to the allegations against him.

PREMIUM TIMES has obtained details of the security report on which the lawmakers based their decision and has investigated the claims against Mr. Magu.

We fact-checked some of the claims made by the SSS, and below are our findings:

ALLEGATION ONE: That during the tenure of Farida Waziri as EFCC chairperson, sensitive documents were found in Mr. Magu’s home.

The facts do not support that claim. A reporter for this newspaper extensively reported that event in 2008 when it happened, and is familiar with what transpired at the time.

Based on pressure from political gladiators of the period (among which were former Governors James Ibori and Bukola Saraki), then President Musa Yar’Adua unceremoniously removed Nuhu Ribadu as chairman of the EFCC.

After Mr. Ribadu’s departure, his successor, Mrs. Waziri, frustrated some of his closest and most resourceful aides in the commission and harassed them for a prolonged period.

Mr. Magu, who was a chief superintendent of police at the time, was sent away from the EFCC and his Lagos and Abuja homes were raided by operatives even before he had the opportunity to hand over to Umar Sanda as head of the Economic Governance Unit of the Commission. He was later detained for three weeks.

Following complaints by Mrs. Waziri, the then Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, queried Mr. Magu, accusing him of serious misconduct. One of the allegations against him was that he removed and withheld EFCC files.

On August 25, 2008, Mr. Magu replied the query, explaining to the IGP that no unauthorized EFCC official documents were found in his home.

“I wish to state that the nature of my assignment at the EFCC is such that I worked round the clock and it was impossible for me to do my work effectively without working on some documents at home,” he wrote to Mr. Okiro at the time. “This is the reason I maintain an office bag where documents relating to investigations were kept. The documents listed were found in my office bag which I was in the process of handing over and were not found hidden anywhere in my house.

“It is therefore not the correct position to say that I bluntly refused to hand over EFCC’s property and documents. I had just concluded handing over the Abuja office, and I was in Lagos to conclude handing over the Lagos office when the search was conducted. At the time of the search, I had not reported to my new command. It could therefore not be my intention to keep government documents in my house.
I have suffered untold humiliation within the past one month. My home was ransacked, vandalized and my properties destroyed by men of the EFCC. I was detained in a cell meant for hardened criminals most of whom are armed robbers for three weeks. My health condition deteriorated as a result of his inhuman treatment meted out to me for doing my job diligently and with the pride required of a senior police officer of my rank in the Nigerian Police Force.

“I humbly implore the Inspector General of Police to totally exonerate me from blame and the said acts of serious misconduct because I was not involved and I am not involved. I will never be discouraged in my unrelenting war against crime and its associated manifestations as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

After an investigation, the police IG exonerated Mr. Magu, posted him to the police’s Special Fraud Unit and promoted him to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police shortly afterwards.

ALLEGATION TWO: That Mr. Magu currently occupies a residence rented for N40 million at N20 million per annum. This accommodation was not paid [for] from the commission’s (EFCC) finances, but by one Umar Mohammed, air commodore retired.

This claim is also untrue.

PREMIUM TIMES has obtained evidence showing the property in question was paid for by the Federal Capital Development Administration, and not Mr. Umar.

The E-Payment schedule, dated March 31, was issued by to the branch controller of Central Bank, Abuja, in favor of M/S Valcour SA-Nigeria Limited.

The company was paid N39.628 million as payment for two-year rent and furnishing of the property, located in upscale Maitama district of Abuja.

The payment schedule was signed by Isiyaku Ismaila and confirmed by Zanna A. Hamza.

Mr. Magu lived in Karu, a suburb of Abuja, before his appointment as acting EFCC chair. With his new position, Mr. Magu moved into an official residence provided by the FCDA.

ALLEGATION 3: That the acting EFCC chairman regularly embarked on official and private trips through a private jet owned by embattled Air Commodore Mohammed Umar (Rtd).

PREMIUM TIMES checks show that this is not entirely correct. Our investigations indicate that Mr. Magu first met Mr. Umar when both of them worked as members of the Presidential Committee on the investigation of arms procurement. At the time, Mr. Umar was very close to President Muhammadu Buhari and had unlimited access to the presidential villa. Both men became close during the assignment.

Our investigations indicate that once this year, Mr. Magu traveled to Kano in the company of EFCC’s Director of Finance and that in charge of organizational support. Those familiar with the trip said on their way back to Abuja, Mr. Umar, who at the time remained Mr. Magu’s colleague at the presidential committee, and who was at the time not in any trouble with the SSS, gave the two officials a lift.

We are unable to find any evidence that Mr. Magu flew in Mr. Umar’s private jet at any other time. Neither were we able to establish that the EFCC chairman flew to Maiduguri alongside Mr. Umar and a bank MD being investigated by the EFCC over complicity in funds allegedly stolen by former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

While some insiders at the commission denied the allegation, we could not independently verify the claims.

ALLEGATION 4: On 24 June 2016, he (Magu) 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.

Insiders say while it was true that Mr. Magu indeed flew first class to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj, he did not pay for the ticket with public funds. We could not, however, confirm this claim independently.

Source:http://saharareporters.com/2016/12/17/fact-check-senate-confirmation-how-dss-lied-against-efcc-boss-magu

Following

This is serious!

So, of all the four allegations levelled against him, he's guilty of none.........


Who is deceiving who?

Lmao. This is what happens when you decide to put hungry cockroaches from the same area in power. In fighting. The Senate has decided to grow some balls, and now the walls come crumbling down....
Remove Mugu and put an ibo man or someone from the south south. They will outperform whatever Mugu (yes, I know) has done thus far

When They said Corruption will fight back.You think say na play?

Buhari I hate u

They want to confirm him by all means.

another version

Whitewash the tomb all you want it will always remain a hole filled with decaying flesh and bones.

Naija and politics...

kain dey oo,

Omo dem go hear an 2day.

Wetin consign me?

It's a power game, let them play it.


But one thing is obvious, Magu is not a clean person.


You can all judge by the way he conducted efcc recruitment this year

JesusmyGod1:
Buhari I hate u

Your moniker and comments don't go hand in hand cus if you love Jesus you don't hate fellow human beings...And BTW theres nothing u can do about it till 2019

The fear of Magu is the beginning of wisdom to looters



2019 we shall see where they will amasse spurious wealth to throw around and deceive the masses



PMB will be remembered for teaching Nigerians how to live according to their means and the need for work to chop

seXytOhbAd:
Lmao. This is what happens when you decide to put hungry cockroaches from the same area in power. In fighting. The Senate has decided to grow some balls, and now the walls come crumbling down....
Remove Mugu and put an ibo man or someone from the south south. They will outperform whatever Mugu (yes, I know) has done thus far

They should put an Ibo man there to develop EFCC too abi...

With all these watery defence, I believe the DSS more now.

This country na like weed wey dem don roll inside rizzla. Na just light remain.

This country is finished.

Typical case of corruption fighting back.


And saraki is at the head

hmm

APC vs APC = Fight to death.

Trust me.... Naija get problems.... All sorts of rubbish news everyday.

When corruption fights back.

Fear of Magu.... Maguophobia

Yesterday it was Premium Times.
Today, Sahara Reporters are the ones championing his case.
Who knows whom Magu will enlist to air his propaganda tomorrow?
Am sure he is the real example of Corruption Fighting Back.
As with all sponsored publications, I know that his henchmen will soon invade this thread to add more fuel to the fire and insult those with contrary views.
We are watching

Nigerian constitution needs change. Until all these institutions are independent of politicians then we can say we are fighting corruption.
Until then, wey my tea

Confirmation ought to have held long ago – Ngige

To senior lawyer, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, the rejection of Magu was expected. Commenting on his Facebook page, Chief Ngige said: ‘’Surprised? No. He has stepped on so many toes. The confirmation hearing ought to have taken place a long time ago before he assumed office not now. It’s unfortunate.”

The guy don provoke their life

Magu the corrupt fighting back using media propaganda as usual.
So DSS is lying against Magu but when it concerns others,they are very serious,honest and reliable.
The level of double standards in this government is nauseating.
He should not be confirmed!
If Judges where told to resign over allegations of corruption,then he also should step down.

greatiyk4u:
The fear of Magu is the beginning of wisdom to looters



2019 we shall see where they will amasse spurious wealth to throw around and deceive the masses



PMB will be remembered for teaching Nigerians how to live according to their means and the need for work to chop

Your level of hypocrisy is beyond redemption!

If DSS can lie against Magu, then it is also possible that they lied against the judges and any other case they were involved in.
This govt should get it's act together. They are making it difficult to even give them the benefit of doubt. Too bad

They will try their best to maintain the status quo. Bunch of dishonorable criminals.