Magu’s FULL RESPONSE To Malami’s Allegations Against Him

The suspended acting chairman of the EFFC Ibrahim Magu, has denied that he fraudulently enriched himself by diverting and mismanaging proceeds of recovered assets.

In his response to a presidential probe panel investigating allegations of gross misconduct against him by the Attorney general of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, Mr Magu described the allegations against him as false and calculated to tarnish his image despite the “commendable” achievements of the EFCC under his leadership.

In the detailed response, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Magu instead accused the office of the AGF of interfering with investigations, recovery and management of recovered assets. He also claimed that the office of the AGF has been “less cooperative and supportive” of the process of assets recovery. He accused the AGF’s office of being “laidback” “particularly in cases of extradition.”

The suspended EFCC boss also accused Mr Malami of not giving him the opportunity to respond to any of the allegations against him before masterminding the setting up of the probe panel. He also refuted the allegation that he turned down the request of the Minister of Finance who sought clarification in respect of recovered funds.

Mr Malami had announced Mr Magu’s suspension following President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval. Prior to his suspension he was arrested and brought before a probe panel headed by Ayo Salami, a former president of the Court of Appeal.

After his arrest, allegations that Mr Magu diverted billions of naira gotten from recovered funds, as well as the interests accrued from the funds, were circulated and published on various media platforms.

In his response, Mr Magu described the allegations against him as false, saying he did not convert a dime of the recovered assets to his personal use and challenged Mr Malami to produce evidence of such conversion.

He said under the current structure of the EFCC on the recovery and management of assets, it was impossible for recovered assets to be mismanaged.

“In the Commission under my watch, funds are recovered vide bank drafts in favour of the commission and lodged in the recovery accounts domiciled with the Central bank of Nigeria.