The Department of State Services (DSS), in a memorandum signed by Folashade Bello and addressed to the Clerk to the Senate, said Ibrahim Magu, the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed their integrity test.

The memo vindicates News Express, which exposed Magu’s moral baggage in a story published on July 1, 2016 entitled “EFCC boss rents Abuja mansion for N40m, furnished with N43m” - http://newsexpressngr.com/news/25259

The memo said Magu would become a liability to the anti-corruption crusade of the present administration if confirmed. It stated that Magu was currently living in a rented apartment of N40 million at N20 million per annum. The memo said: “This accommodation was not paid for from the commission’s finances but by one Umar Mohammed, a retired Air Commodore, a questionable businessman and ally of subject who has subsequently been arrested by this service.

“For the furnishing of the residence, Mohammed enlisted the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to award a contract to Africa Energy, a company owned by him, to lavishly furnish the residence at the cost of N43 million,” it stated.

The report also claimed that their investigations further revealed that Magu regularly embarks on official and private trips through a private carrier, Easyjet, allegedly owned by Mohammed. “In one of such trips, Magu flew to Maiduguri alongside Mohammed and the Managing Director of a bank, who was being investigated by the Commission over complicity in funds allegedly stolen by the immediate past Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

“It claimed that Magu has continued to maintain a high profile lifestyle as shown by his preference for 1st class air travels. The memo said, “On 24th June, 2016, he flew Emirate Airlines 1st class to Saudi Arabia to perform lesser hajj at the cost of N2.9 million. This is in spite of Mr. President’s directive to all public servants to fly economy class.

“Investigation also revealed that Magu parades a twin personality. At one level, he is the Czar who has no friends, no favourites and is ready to fight corruption to a standstill.

“However, with a key friend in the person of Mohammed, he had betrayed the confidence reposed in him by the present administration.” The five-page DSS report further said: “Whereas Magu portrays himself as very secretive, he has fostered a mutually beneficial relationship with Mohammed who by his confession approaches clients for possible exploitation, favours and associated returns.

“This was facilitated with official secrets divulged by Magu and from which dealings he is believed to have been drawing considerable benefits. “This was evidenced by the number of official and classified documents he made available to his associates, especially Mohammed. “After a search of Mohammed’s premises, a forged letter of the office of the Vice President was recovered.

“The service noted that the alleged forged letter was a fictitious investigation report from the Vice President to President Buhari, requesting for approval to commence further probe into a matter allegedly involving Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu.”

“Attached to the letter were two EFCC letters addressed to the Vice President, being investigation reports on the activities of Emmanuel Kachikwu and his brother, Dumebi Kachikwu,” the DSS said. The report noted that following the arrest of three former Air Force top shots, namely Alex Badeh, Umar and Amosun, from whom huge sums of money and property were recovered, Umar and Badeh were arraigned but Amosun was spared.

It said: “It was only after the arrest of Mohammed by this service that the EFCC hurriedly arraigned Amosun. Mohammed later confessed that he never wanted Amosun tried, describing him as his former boss, and he saw in Magu a willing accomplice.”

The service said that findings by it showed that in a bid to settle personal scores, Magu placed one Stanley Inye Lawson on a security watch list, while in actual fact Lawson was working in the interest of the Federal Government.

“However, the action was later expunged following the discovery that Lawson was falsely accused by Magu for personal reasons,” it said.

The report further claimed that the circumstances surrounding Magu’s return to the EFCC at the instance of his predecessor, Ibrahim Lamorde, and their close working relationship ever since was a clear indication of his culpability in the allegations of corrupt tendencies of the Lamorde-led EFCC. It said: “To cover his tracks, Magu uses only Police cronies to execute operations This, coupled with discoveries that such Police cronies have acquired a lot of landed property, lends credence to the questions about his integrity.”

DSS further claimed that its investigation showed that in August 2008, following a search at his residence during the tenure of Farida Waziri as the EFCC boss, some sensitive EFCC documents were seen at Magu’s disposal. “He was subsequently redeployed to the police after days of detention and later suspended from the force,” the report said.

“In December 2010, the Police Service Commission found Magu guilty of action prejudicial to the state security,” the report said. It said Magu was seen to be withholding “EFCC files, sabotage, unauthorised removal of EFCC files and act unbecoming of Police officer.”

According to the report, “Notwithstanding, sequel to the appointment of Ibrahim Lamorde as EFCC chairman in 2011, he made the return of Magu to the EFCC a top priority. Both men had worked together at the commission when Lamorde served as head of operations of the agency. “Magu remained a top official of the commission until he was appointed to succeed Lamorde.”

•Largely based on a report by The Nation.

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