Antigraft War: Magu faces US embassy team
- A team from the US embassy has met Ibrahim Magu over allegations leveled against him
- The team comprising of the US Ambassador to Nigeria W. Stuart Symington and his key staff met the acting boss of the EFCC on Friday, January 6
- Magu told the US team that he is not guilty of any charge against him
Embattled acting chief of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has met with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria W. Stuart Symington and his key staff, in regards to the allegations levelled against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Antigraft War! Magu faces US embassy team
According to The Nation, the meeting was held on Friday, January 6.
Magu was said to have told the team that he was innocent of all the allegations raised by the security agency, which aborted his confirmation as EFCC Chairman by the Senate.
It was an informal session, the source said.
It was learnt that the session was part of the Embassy’s interest in the nation’s anti-corruption campaign.
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It was gathered that the interaction might assist the US team to have a broader appraisal of the controversy on Magu’s nomination, which was not considered by the Upper Chamber.
The source said: “The US Embassy took on Magu on every issue in the DSS report to ascertain whether or not he committed the infractions levelled against him.
“The team wanted to know if Magu had indeed failed the integrity test which made the United States to support him.
“The Acting EFCC chairman responded to every issue without betraying his emotion. At the end, Magu said he was innocent of all the allegations against him.
“He said he has also responded to the query given to him by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN),” the source said, pleading not to be named because he is not allowed to talk to the media on the issue.
Responding to a question, the source said: “The U.S. Embassy team was satisfied with Magu’s response. The Ambassador and others later took a photograph with him.”
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“With this session, we are hopeful that the US support for the anti-corruption campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari will be more enhanced,” the source added.
Following the persistent intrigues over Magu’s fate, some donor agencies, anti-graft war partners and foreign missions have been anxious about the future of the battle.
Most of them were said to be sympathetic to the retention of Magu whom they have rated high.
The DSS alleged that Magu’s accommodation in Abuja was paid for by a “corrupt businessman” and that he flew first class to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj, contrary to federal government’s directive to its officials not to travel in the elite cabin.
Magu was also accused of being illegally in possession of confidential EFCC documents when he was a director in 2007.
He was queried by Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami who was nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the allegations.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice Abubakar Malamii has described as incorrect reports that he or anybody close to him is working against the emergence of Ibrahim Magu as substantive chairman of the EFCC.
Vanguard reports that Malami said in a phone conversation on Sunday, January 1 that neither was or government officials in the presidency blocking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acting chairman from taking up the position fully.
Malami noted that there was no need for in-fighting when everybody is all on-board with President Muhammad Buhari’s anti-corruption.
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