EFCC Secretary, Directors Appear Before Panel Over Magu

As the investigation into the corruption allegations levelled against the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, entered its fourth day on Thursday, the Secretary of the anti-graft body, Olanipekun Olukoyede and some of its directors have appeared before the panel.

Magu is facing 21 corruption allegations from the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

Our correspondent reliably gathered that the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel summoned the top management officers from the commission to give insight on some of the allegations against the embattled Chairman.

Meanwhile, the absence of the embattled Chairman is creating a bit of confusion within the commission.

It was gathered that two top management officers are in contention over who oversees activities of the commission since Magu’s ordeal.

The anti-corruption boss appears before the panel from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, where he was held since Monday.

Investigation revealed that the Presidency has not formally nominated anybody to act on behalf of the commission pending when the issue of Magu will be resolved.

Although the Secretary to the Commission is said to be the next in rank, it was gathered that he is not enforcement personnel.

Some at the EFCC headquarters argue that following the precedence set before now right from the time of the pioneer Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, it was the Director of Operations, who is enforcement personnel that stand-in, in the absence of the Chairman.

Our correspondent also gathered that Mr. Magu appears before the panel with his lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, a former Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and Minister of Justice, who incidentally set up the EFCC during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The embattled acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission appeared at the probe panel on Thursday where he is being grilled by 10 am.

The panel it was learnt has been sitting over three weeks scrutinizing the corruption allegation from the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami against the EFCC boss.

Recall that armed security operatives had stormed the EFCC office on Monday, cordoned the place not knowing that the embattled acting Chairman was not in the office.

It was learnt that the operatives were there when Magu’s vehicle drove in and they approached him but he ‘resisted’ entreaties to follow them before he was compelled by the security operatives who took him to the Old Banquet Hall.