•My trial is discipline for examining prominent cases
•I didn’t know how investigation provides details regarding Minister of State for Petroleum Resources spilled to ex-Air Force officer
•I recuperated N2.835b money from ex-Chief of Air Staff Amosu
The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has rejected recommendations that his arrival to the office in 2012 is to make an ax’s showing with regards to.
He says that he likewise did not entryway to come back to the EFCC amid the residency of his ancestor, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, guaranteeing his difficulty is a discipline for being the Chief Investigative Officer of some prominent cases.
These are the highlights of his reaction to an inquiry by Justice Minister Abubakar Malami (SAN) in light of the affirmations against him by the Department of State Security Service (DSS).
The reaction was distributed yesterday by Premium Times Newspaper.
Magu denied that his leased authority flat was outfitted at a cost of N43million and brought up that he is never known for flashy living and his new office as acting administrator of the EFCC has not changed his way of life.
He said it was an astonishment to him how examination writes about the exercises of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu and his sibling Dumebi Kachikwu, were found in the home of an individual from the Presidential Investigative Committee on Arms Procurement, Air Commodore Mohammed Umar(rtd).
He blamed DSS assertion that he was either hesitant to charge, or postponed the arraignment of a previous Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu in court.
Rather, he said the EFCC recuperated N2.835billion money and property worth N1. 581billion, $2,150million and £1, 000, 000 from Amosu.
He stated: “I was Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations at the Anambra State Police Command when I was reviewed to the EFCC in 2012. I didn’t anteroom to come back to the EFCC.
“It is ridiculous for anybody to propose that I was reviewed to make an ax showing with regards to for Lamorde as affirmed in the DSS Report. My employment plan as Deputy Director, Department of Internal Affairs, under Lamorde, was just dealing with issues of expert obligation in the Commission. I had no contributions to center operations obligations of the Commission.
Magu clarified the conditions in which EFCC records were found in his home after the expulsion of the pioneer Chairman of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
He stated: “the reality of the matter is that my habitation was sought on the requests of Mrs. Farida Waziri, not long after she succeeded Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as Chairman of the EFCC and a few archives identifying with cases under scrutiny were found in my home. At the season of the attack, I was yet to formally hand over to my successor, Umar Sanda, as leader of the Economic Governance Unit.
“My timetable at the time justified that I work round the clock and it was difficult to finish up all assignments without working at home.
“The records found in my home were really found in my office pack where I kept archives identifying with examinations. I was giving over and it is inappropriate to propose that I wilfully kept the Commission’s documents at home.
“By and by, the episode was altogether examined by the police as I was put on suspension without pay for 20 months. In any case, at last, I was reproved, reviewed and elevated to Assistant Commissioner of Police.
“It is imperative sir, to attract your thoughtfulness regarding the way that a few of us that worked intimately with Ribadu were defrauded after his exit.
“What’s more, my trial was arranged as discipline for being the boss investigative officer for the majority of the prominent cases including politically uncovered people some of whom turned out to be extremely powerful in government at the time.
On the N39.8million condo leased for him, Magu said it was false that the house was likewise outfitted for N43million, including: “I live in the official living arrangement of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This convenience, as opposed to the report of the DSS is not my private home, nor was it leased and outfitted for me by Commodore Umar Mohammed (rtd).
“It was leased and outfitted by the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory through the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, under the sheltered house plot.
“It is additionally false that the house was leased for N20million per annum and outfitted for N43million. The whole cost for both two-year lease and the outfitting of the house is N39.628million.
“Subtle elements of the exchange are contained in the agreement grant letter and installment plan which are connected to this letter.”
He depicted the two circumstances he flew in a private fly with Air Commodore Mohammed Umar, who was researched by the DSS, as safe signals.
He stated: “Respectable Minister, the claim that I have a propensity for costly air goes in a private stream having a place with Commodore Mohammed is outlandish The two circumstances I can went in Commodore Umar’s flying machine, were on an excursion from Kano to Abuja, and Abuja to Maiduguri.
“In the main case, I had gone to Kano on an official task with two of my chiefs, and Mohammed who was en route back to Abuja offered us a ride in his fly. The second event was the point at which I would see my wiped out mother in Maiduguri.
“These, for me, were safe motions as we were both individuals from the presidential investigative board of trustees on arms obtainment. At the time I had no learning that he was under scrutiny for any affirmed wrongdoings.
“Claims that I flew in Mohammed’s fly to Maiduguri in organization of the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo is false.
“I have never flown in a private air ship with any overseeing executive of any bank not to mention one that was under scrutiny by my office. I have no individual relationship at all with him.”
Concerning charged prominent or double way of life, the Acting EFCC executive said he just went on First Class once amid the most recent ten days of the Ramadan and when different classes of ticket were not accessible.
“The claim that I carry on with an ostentatious way of life is likewise astonishing to me. While beyond any doubt I traveled top notch on Emirates Airline to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, this activity to the best of my insight, did not contradict the mandate of Mr. President on First Class goes as recommended by the DSS Report.
“My outing to Saudi Arabia was a private trip to play out my religious commitment and it was not financed with open assets. All the more significantly, my choice to fly with every available amenity was not borne out of mission for extravagance but rather constrained by need.
“The outing was made amid the most recent ten days of the Ramadan and different classes of ticket were not accessible. I had no other decision
“That I flew with every available amenity in one occasion is insufficient proof to recommend an excessive way of life as asserted by the DSS Report. It is additionally insufficient to propose a double identity.
“Any one that has related intimately with me will validate the way that I am not known for garish living. What’s more, my new office as acting administrator of the EFCC has not changed this.
He said Commodore Mohammed Umar (rtd) was never filling in as a front for him.
He stated: “Sir, it is critical to arrange my association with Commodore Mohammed Umar (rtd), in appropriate point of view.
“Our ways crossed when we got to be individuals from the Presidential Committee on the examination on arms obtainment. He was instrumental in getting a portion of the data that helped the board to make noteworthy leap forward in its task.
“Past that, the connection amongst Umar and myself is one of expert associate, without issues of irreconcilable situation. In this way, it comes to me with stun, the ascription by the DSS that we have a “commonly valuable relationship”.
“This seems suggestive that Mohammed and I were included in exercises that could be said to be untoward. I absolutely have no learning of such exercises.
“The claim that EFCC archives, including EFCC letters routed to the Vice President and being examination gives an account of the exercises of Emmanuel Kachikwu and his sibling Dumebi Kachikwu, were found in his home amid a pursuit by the DSS came to me as a shock.
“In the event that that is right, he ought to be made to reveal how he stopped by such archives. I never talked about my official obligations with him not to mention give him archives relating to examinations being led by the Commission.
“Strikingly, Mohammed was kept for a while by the DSS. In each one of those months, did he assert that I commanded him to carry out any wrongdoing or that I was an associate to any wrongdoing? On the off chance that there is any such claim, I will wholeheartedly get a kick out of the chance to be gone up against with the assertion.
“It is intriguing to note that when Mohammed was in the end charged to court, the charges against him were tax evasion and illicit ownership of guns, and nothing identified with my implied “shady” association with him.”
He blamed DSS claim that he was either hesitant to summon or deferred the arraignment of a previous Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu in court.
He stated: “The DSS Report that the reason EFCC deferred the arraignment of a previous Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Adesola Amosu, was on the grounds that Mohammed never needed Amosu to be indicted is surprising.
“Anybody acquainted with the EFCC under my supervision realizes that I play out my obligations with the most astounding awareness of other’s expectations. The reason Amosu was not summoned when any semblance of Alex Badeh and Umar were charged was on account of he collaborated with the commission as far as helping the way toward recouping the returns of wrongdoing.
“In reality, among the suspects captured over the arms obtainment embarrassment, he was generally agreeable. The Commission recouped N2.835billion money from him, beside property worth One Billion Five Hundred and Eighty One Million Nai