The acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu was detained overnight after being quizzed by a presidential panel headed by Justice Ayo Salami.
Reports say after the embattled acting chairman was quizzed on 22 allegations of corruption and money laundering, he was whisked away at about 10.15 pm to the FCID in Abuja.
His escort mobile policemen and security detail were stood down before he was taken into custody.
“In the light of the ongoing investigation, it became expedient to detain Magu at the FCID. We do not want him to return to the office while he is being questioned, because he is likely to have another session with the Justice Salami panel,” The Nation quoted a source as saying.
At the FCID around 10.50 pm, Magu rejected an offer to take him into an office to stay the night.
He told the officers in charge to treat him like a suspect by putting him in a cell.
Sitting on a chair, he said: “I won’t go and sleep in any office, I prefer to be in a cell. Kindly put me in a cell. That is what Allah wants for me. I can’t question God.”
The newspaper reported that Magu now faces suspension from the office, as the most senior person in the agency, may be asked to act until the panel finishes its report.
There was drama to Magu’s invitation earlier in the day. He was intercepted on the road along Fomella Street while moving out of the Wuse II office Annex of the EFCC in Abuja.
The invitation was then extended to him by a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).
The CSP’s vehicle had a backup comprising a three-man security team, who closely watched the encounter.
Magu was on his way to the Force Headquarters. He pleaded with the officer to allow him to honour the scheduled appointment.
But he was told the invitation by the panel was superior to his appointment.
At about 1.35 pm, Magu arrived at the Villa.
The EFCC chairman, who went to the Villa with his full escort and security detail, was not molested.
Magu’s travails began following some allegations against him made by the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
He was reportedly asked to respond to the allegations by the Salami panel Viz:
*Alleged discrepancies in the reconciliation records of the EFCC and the Federal Ministry of Finance on recovered funds
*Declaration of N539billion as recovered funds instead of N504b earlier claimed
*Insubordination to the office of the AGF by not seeking his approval on some decisions
*Not providing enough evidence for the extradition of ex-Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke
*Alleged late action on the investigation of Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) leading to the legal dispute
*Not respecting court order to unfreeze an N7billion judgment in favour of a former Executive Director of First Bank
*Alleged delay in acting on two vessels seized by Nigerian Navy leading to the loss of crude
*Alleged favouring of some investigators called Magu’s Boys
*Reporting some judges to their presiding officers without deferring to the AGF
*Alleged sales of seized assets to cronies, associates and friends
*Alleged issuance of investigative activities to some media prejudicial to some cases.
