Suspended chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has asked the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami to present evidence that he (Magu) fraudulently enriched himself and also collected bribes to shield suspects from prosecution.
Magu challenged the AGF while responding to a query by a presidential probe panel investigating allegations of corruption and official misconduct made against him by Malami.
Last week, Malami announced Magu’s suspension following President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval and is currently being investigated by a panel headed by Ayo Salami, a former president of the Court of Appeal, over allegations of corruption and insubordination levelled against him by Malami.
He was detained for about 10 days before his release. After his arrest, allegations that Magu diverted billions of naira from recovered funds, as well as the interests accruing from the funds, were circulated and published on various media platforms.
Magu said the claim by Malami that he (Magu) received several petitions alleging he is abusing his office and has been enriching himself, “is not surprising as he is bound to step on toes in the discharge of his duties and some of those he has charged for corruption or who are being investigated for same are bound to fight back.”
“In the exercise of my official functions as acting chairman of the commission, I have stepped on toes in ensuring that corruption is fought to a standstill in Nigeria,” Magu explained, saying “Some of the suspects under investigation and prosecution are always ganging up to fight me back publishing false, untrue, malicious and libellous allegations against me.”
