THE MAN CALLED MAGU -By Joshua Bamidele

In response to the letter NASS/CS /SA/01/17/ 08 /02 from NASS requesting for security report in scrutiny of Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, dated 7th March, 2017, the DSS in a letter addressed to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through its clerk on 14th March, 2017. The reports of the Department of State Services, a subsidiary of the office of the President may cause some puzzling effects as to whether a nomination from the president could be indicted by a department directly under the auspice of the presidency, and as such giving the National Assembly ‘valid’ reasons to turn down the nomination.

In this regards, certain matters may be of puzzling concern. This may be embraced in one question, WHO IS MAGU? This may be very pertinent in getting a clear view of some pictures painted as either Magu being on the bad side of the Pepper-Them-Gang, may be a victim of the points scoring rift between the National Assembly bigwits and the executives or may be justly screened and bowed out for his misdeeds.

For and from the records, Ibrahim Mustafa Magu is a Kanuri born in Borno state who had his education in the 80s and has thereafter had series of programs and courses in anti-corruption both home and abroad. His service to the nation in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was prolific and one worth awarding following his appointment as the body’s Economic Governance Unit (EGU) head during the tenure of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. Ibrahim Magu, an early recruit of EFCC following its establishment is a member of the investigative committee convened by National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the procurement of arms in the Armed Forces from 2007 till now. He is an Assistant Commissioner of Police and member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption.

His role in spearheading various investigations against many sitting governors which was seen by some as a witch-hunting by President Olusegun Obasanjo cannot be alienated from his ordeal today. Figures investigated and prosecuted under his watch include
-Ayo Fayose, then (and now) Governor of Ekiti State and current Chairman of PDP Governor’s Forum;
-Sen Joshua Dariye, then Governor of Plateau State and incumbent Senator of Plateau Central Senatorial District (member of same senate screening Magu today) on a 23 counts of money laundering involving alleged diversion of about N1.126 billion Plateau State Government’s Ecological Funds;
-Abdullahi Adamu, then Governor of Nassarawa State and incumbent Senator of Nassarawa West Senatorial District (member of same senate screening Magu today), prosecuted alongside Korean Yo Jim for the Farin Ruwa Hydro Electric Dam, a white elephant project;
-Alh. Attahiru Baffarawa, then Governor of Sokoto State on the alleged diversion of public funds;
-Shettima Bulama, his Brother-in-Law and former Bank of the North Chief, prosecuted for misappropriating bank funds;
-Tafa Balogun, then Inspector General of Police, Magu’s former boss on 70 charges involving about N13 billion obtained through money laundering, theft and other sources which led to the Police chief sentenced to (just) six months in jail;
-Prince Abubakar Audu, then governor of Kogi State on allegations of diverting ten billion naira to purchase real estate assets abroad;
-James Ibori, then governor of Delta State, arrested at the Kwara State Lodge in Abuja while having a good time at his Jolly friend, Bukola Saraki’s residence for theft of public funds, abuse of office, money laundering, attempt to bribe EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu to drop the charges with a cash gift of $15 million;
-Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate (same senate screening Magu) on allegations of laundering, theft, corruption and others in accruing billions of Naira (also in worth of properties) illegally. As EGU head, Magu had earlier investigated the then Kwara State Governor on the collapse of Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria.
And many more………….

However, on a receiving note, in August 2008, Mr. Magu was accused of illegally keeping case files of top politicians being investigated by the commission. His house in Abuja was searched and his property carted away by operatives of the EFCC. He was subsequently re-deployed to the police after days of detention with nothing incriminating found against him. He was later suspended from the police, going without salaries for several months.

Magu was appointed as Acting Chairman of EFCC on November 11, 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari and had his nomination by the President rejected by the Senate on December 15, 2016. On January 24, 2017, he was re-nominated by the President.

While Magu is seen by many as “ a fearless investigator who can stand up to any duty”, the allegations from the DSS may also not be striked out but worth puzzling on as to its stance. This allegations include:
1. Magu is currently occupying a residence rented for N40m, at N20m per annum. This accommodation was not paid for from the commission’s finances but by one Umar Mohammed (Air Commodore/Rtd), 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 to award a contract to Africa Energy, a company owned by the same Mohammed to lavishly furnish the residence at the cost of N43m.
2. The Acting EFCC Chairman regularly embarks on official and private trips through a private carrier, Easyjet, owned by Mohammed. In one of such trips, Magu flew to Maiduguri, alongside Mohammed and the MD 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.
3. On 24th June, 2016, he flew Emirate Airlines’ First Class to Saudi Arabia to perform the Lesser Hajj at the cost of N2,990,196. This is in spite of Mr. President’s directive to all public servants to fly Economy Class.
4. 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 Umar Mohammed (Air Commodore/Rtd), a controversial businessman, he has betrayed the confidence reposed in him by the present administration. 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, dated 20th May, 2016, was recovered. The letter was a fictitious investigation report from Vice President to Mr. President, requesting for approval to commence further probe into a matter allegedly involving Hon. Minister of State Petroleum. Attached to the letter were two EFCC letters dated 13th April, 2016, and another 24th March, 2016, addressed to the Vice President being investigation reports on the activities of Emmanuel Kachikwu and his brother Dumebi Kachikwu. Similarly recovered during the search were information on assets and personal details of Kachikwu.
5. Following the arrest of three former Airforce chiefs by EFCC, namely, Alex Badeh, Umar and Amosu from whom huge sums of money and property were recovered, Umar and Alex Badeh were arraigned in court. It was only after the arrest of Mohammed by this service that the EFCC hurriedly arraigned Amosu. Mohammed later confessed that he never wanted Amosu tried, describing him as his former boss and he saw in MAGU, a willing accomplice.
6. Furthermore, findings revealed that in a bid to settle some personal scores, subject placed one Stanley Inye Lawson on a Security Watch Action, 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.
7. The circumstances surrounding Magu’s return to EFCC at the instance of the former chairman, Lamorde, and their close working relationship ever since is a clear indication of his culpability in the allegations of corrupt tendencies of the Lamorde led EFCC.
8. To cover his tracks, Magu uses only his 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.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Guilty as charged or otherwise?
A witch-hunt or a quest for sanity?
Should Magu be empowered as the EFCC boss?
Who is responsible for Magu’s dilemma?
Does the Senate have the right to look into Magu’s case? Who should address the screening?