The suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, may remain longer in detention as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has denied responsibility for his detention.
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Magu has been in detention for over a week at the Force CID headquarters in Garki, Abuja, after he was arrested on Monday, July 6. He is currently being interrogated by a presidential investigation committee headed by Ayo Salami, a former president of the Court of Appeal, over corruption allegations levelled against him by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Tosin Ojaoma, Magu’s lawyer, had written to the IGP last week requesting for Magu’s bail.
But the police boss, in a statement signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Owohunwa, principal staff officer for the Inspector General of Police, washed his hands off Magu’s detention, attributing it to the presidential panel.
In a letter addressed to Magu’s lawyer with reference number: CB:7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.489/171, dated July 14, 2020, the IGP explained that Magu was not being detained by the police but by the panel investigating the activities of the EFCC.
“Your letter 00C/TOL/89A/07/2020 of 10th July, 2020 on the above underlined subject refers,” the IGP’s response read in part.
“The Inspector General of Police directs that your attention be drawn to the fact that the Nigeria Police Force is not investigating C.P. Ibrahim Magu (your client) and he is accordingly, not being detained by the police but by the presidential panel that is investigating the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The Inspector General of Police, therefore, advises that you consider re-directing your request to the Chairman of the presidential panel for appropriate attention.
“I am to convey the assurances of the warmest regards of the Inspector of Police, please,” the letter read.
Magu’s legal team had on Wednesday, in a coordinated response to the allegations and newspaper reports against their client, made a comprehensive compilation of initial response to the Ayo Salami Presidential Panel.
Magu’s lawyers, in the letter, addressed to Salami, raised concerns over what the legal team called “serial falsehood publications in the media” over the multiple allegations in respect of matters which never featured in the proceedings of the panel.
Wahab Shittu, lead counsel to Magu, said among the series of falsehoods against Magu was the news item titled ‘NFIU SUBMITS REPORT ON MAGU’S FOREX TRANSACTIONS TO PANEL’ published in one of the national dailies on Tuesday, July 14.
Debunking the claim, the counsel said, “Our client states categorically that he has not been confronted on alleged illegal transactions and no such report was tendered by NFIU in any proceedings before this panel involving him till date.
“Our client states categorically that the maximum forex transaction he has been involved in is the sum of $10,000 (Ten Thousand Dollars) to date. Our client also wishes to place on record that he has no link with Kaduna-based Bureau De Change Operator as erroneously reported in the publication.”
On the alleged N573 million Dubai property linked to Magu, the Shittu said the allegation is outright falsehood and that Magu denies it in unmistakable terms.
