President Bola Tinubu has assured his processor, Muhammadu Buhari, that he and his close aides will be spared in any anti-corruption war his government engages in, SaharaReporters can report.

SaharaReporters learnt on Tuesday that this was discussed during the meeting between Tinubu and Buhari in London, United Kingdom, on Monday night.

The President’s assurance to his predecessor comes amid repeated and ongoing moves by the secret police, the Department of State Services, to place a lid on further investigation of politically exposed persons by the anti-corruption body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Already, the DSS has carried out raids on EFCC offices in Lagos and Abuja, carting away sensitive files, documents and flash drives on investigations into alleged fraudulent activities of former governors, senators and ministers, SaharaReporters earlier reported.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu returned to Nigeria on Tuesday ahead of Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, after spending a week in Europe.

The President departed Nigeria on June 20 to participate in the two-day New Global Financial Pact Summit, held in Paris, France.

Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja on Saturday, proceeded to London, United Kingdom, for a "short private visit."

On Monday night, Tinubu met with former President Buhari.

However, sources told SaharaReporters that part of what formed the subject of their discussion was an agreement that Buhari and his close aides would not be bothered by any probe or anti-corruption war during Tinubu’s tenure.

“Tinubu met Buhari to reportedly discuss that Buhari and his close aides will not be bothered with any ‘corruption war,’” a source told SaharaReporters on Tuesday.


BACKGROUND

SaharaReporters earlier on Tuesday reported that the DSS told the anti-corruption body EFCC to steer clear of political cases for now.

Sources told SaharaReporters on Tuesday that the recent raid on EFCC offices – first in Ikoyi, Lagos and later in Abuja – were more political than they were made to look.

“The DSS has told EFCC to concentrate on non-political cases for now,” a security source told SaharaReporters on Tuesday.

SaharaReporters also learnt that during the raids, DSS operatives carted away files and flash drives containing sensitive information about former governors, ministers and senators under investigation.

“During the secret raid of EFCC offices in Abuja and Lagos, the DSS carted away files and flash disks of ex-governors, senators and ministers under investigation,” one of the sources said.

On Sunday, June 18, 2023, SaharaReporters exclusively reported that the DSS raided the headquarters of its sister agency, EFCC on Friday night, June 16.

It was reported that the raid lasted till early Saturday morning.

The action was undertaken under the cover of the night to prevent the public from knowing about it, it was learnt.

EFCC personnel were also instructed not to mention anything concerning the raid to members of the public.

An insider had told SaharaReporters at the time that the DSS was working in the interest of someone “very important” to President Bola Tinubu.

However, another source said it might be linked to the recent closure of the EFCC office in Ikoyi, Lagos by the DSS.

“I heard the raid and partisanship of the DSS was the reason why they raised an alarm yesterday (Saturday) that some of their disgruntled officers are planning to shame the agency and embarrass the leadership,” the source said.

Some of the investigators handling the case of former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle were to be summoned by the DSS for interrogation, it was further learnt.

“That is actually intimidation, symptomatic of what former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami did during Ibrahim Magu’s time as EFCC chairman to get several suspects off the hook,” one of the sources had said.

It was revealed that Matawalle was being investigated by the EFCC in two separate cases.

One of them is a case involving his private company which got money from the National Security Adviser’s office without executing the contract, which was investigated under the chairmanship of Magu. The other case involves the alleged fraud committed by Matawalle while in office.

Someone close to President Bola Tinubu also informed our reporter that the president was aware of the moves being made by the former governor to stop the anti-corruption body from probing him, which includes obtaining court orders to restrain the commission and other agencies from carrying out their investigations.

It must be noted that President Tinubu recently suspended Bawa from office indefinitely.

In the June 18 report, SaharaReporters noted that it was not clear what the agenda of Tinubu and the DSS were regarding the detention of Bawa and the carting away of sensitive documents relating to the commission’s investigations.

But revelations made by sources on Tuesday showed that the raids were political with the carting away of files and flash drives related to the probe of former governors, senators and ministers.

Last month, operatives of the DSS stormed the Lagos office of the EFCC, preventing officials of the anti-graft agency from gaining access to their office in Ikoyi.

SaharaReporters learnt from top sources in both agencies that hundreds of EFCC personnel were locked out of office due to what was widely believed to be centred on office ownership disagreements.

“The EFCC officers are shocked; they have been using the building for more than 20 years. Several suspects are there and there are fears that some might have been illegally released,” a top source had said.

President Tinubu later ordered the DSS to vacate the EFCC office immediately, saying if there were issues between the “two important agencies of government”, they should be resolved amicably.

Reacting to the incident, the EFCC in a statement on its official Facebook page described the siege as shocking, saying it had wider implications for Nigeria’s fight against economic and financial crimes.

“The operatives of the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrived at their office on No. 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, this morning, May 30, 2023, to be denied entry by agents of the Department of State Services, DSS, who had barricaded the entrance with armoured personnel carriers.

“This development is strange to the Commission given that we have cohabited with the DSS in that facility for 20 years without incident.

“By denying operatives access to their offices, the Commission’s operations at its largest hub with over 500 personnel, hundreds of exhibits, and many suspects in detention have been disrupted.

“Cases scheduled for court hearing today have been aborted, while many suspects who had been invited for questioning are left unattended.

“Even more alarming is that suspects in detention are left without care with grave implications for their rights as inmates.

“All of these have wider implications for the nation’s fight against economic and financial crimes.

“The siege is inconsistent with the synergy expected of agencies working for the same government and nation, especially when there are ongoing discussions on the matter,” the statement read.

https://saharareporters.com/2023/06/27/i-dont-want-be-disturbed-any-probe-buhari-tells-tinubu-london

Because you know that your so much talked about sincerity is FAKE and DECEPTIVE

Buhari already knew that he is not innocent

May Ogun strike this Buhari so Buhari just decide to suffer Nigerians for 8good years if this country is a sane nation Buhari deserve to be stone to death.
Borrowing for good 8yrs
Four years treatment spent in London
Hermens killing on the rampant
Price of rice and bread even olosho done go 1k for short time
If na Egypt or ivory coast I swear revolution for happen

This life , he did same to Jonathan , all these are just for show, that am power nothing will come out of it as usual

Ihateheadslamer:
Buhari all ready knew that he's not innocent

The idiot knew he stole more than Abacha , lucky igbenedion and ibori combine

This man (cabals) insulted the supposed honourable judges in this nation, are there no judges in this nation to proof him (them) wrong now?

When are they going to arrest that Sadiya Npower scam of a woman. She duped people to register for N-exit package through SMS code. She fed children at 'home' during Covid19 lock down. She is a big fraud

honestivo:
This life , he did same to Jonathan , all these are just for show, that am power nothing will come out of it as usual

Africa will always remain back word other nations ahead in terms of dealing with bad leaders. Buhari does not deserve a peaceful ending trust me

Naijanascam:

Nigeria is in disarray and u dey open teeth when your teeth in real life is actually brown color

Anybody expecting President Tinubu to fight corruption is daydreaming. He won't because his immense wealth came from corruption and the Senate President Godswill Akpabio is fantastically corrupt. All the politicians around him from Ganduje Kwakwanso, Wike to Mattawale are epitome of official corruption. So Tinubu knew he lacks the moral stand to fight corruption.

Any fight against corruption under President Tinubu will be purely for political witch-hunting.

Is this the same Sahara Reporter that claim Asiwaju dey go to France for health reasons?

If not the picture that was release, not even Sahara Reporter knew Asiwaju met Buhari

Buhari really dealt with you mercilessly to the extent that you cannot get the proper spelling of backwardness.

It shall never be well with buhari

Freshtruth:
Africa will always remain back word other nations ahead in terms of dealing with bad leaders. Buhari does not deserve a peaceful ending trust me

Fake news

Abeg he should getat!

Damnnn niggar

Electricity tariff on the high

Tertiary institution fee on the high

Price of fuel on the high

114 percent increase in the salary of elected politicians waiting to be approved by tinubu

Guess what POC every year have been introduced right about now....poc is proof of car ownership certificate of 1000 naira every year
And yet no protest in Nigeria
No problem the politics of tribalism We all playing is obvious
let play it together and see how it gonna end

Bubu really deceived the gullibles that he was a man of integrity

This yeye herder should be in prison for totally destroying this country!

The amount of money looted within the last 8yrs is more than enough to take this country to greater height

Smh

Same Sahara reporters that said he wanted to visit the hospital. Fake news merchandise

Freshtruth:
Nigeria is in disarray and u dey open teeth when your teeth in real life is actually brown color

Even if your teeth is brown..... you never see anything yet..... just brace up for the Renewed Shege Banza

They openly make their judgments selective already;
I wonder who still takes Tinibu's govt serious

After squandering our resources for 8yrs. Shege azzalumi kawai!

Continue


God is watching us

All this suffering u people are sharing

Tinubu is ticking all the right boxes in my opinion. You can hardly run a successful government without consulting with the previous leader. I'm glad he's the one in charge.

Hmmm...

Ok. Check my profile for your solar flood lights , precise resistivity meter and 4G cctv solar camera .

Buhari presented himself as Mr Integrity and turned out to be one of the most kwarupt presidents Nigeria has ever had. Nigeria retrogressed by light years under him. I'm not surprised to see him and Baba Bulaba in cahoots. Birds of a feather...

Mad thieves!

See darling daddy. A man of integrity.

I do tell people that the word Integrity remains a parallel line with the man Buhari.

A man of integrity will never be afraid of probing of his team and himself.

This is the height of criminality

That's why he meandered Tinubu to become President