The suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has been invited by the Code of Conduct Bureau for questioning over an alleged case of breach of code of conduct.
The suspended acting EFCC chairman was invited via a letter with reference number CCB/HQ/II&M/007/2093 dated November 2, 2020 titled “Breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers”.
According to the letter, Magu is expected to appear before the anti-corruption bureau on November 17, 2020.
Magu was asked to come along with acknowledgment copies of all asset declaration forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau since he joined the public service as well as copies of his appointment and acceptance letters records of service, and payslips.
The suspended acting EFCC boss is also expected to come with documents of his landed properties.
In the letter, Magu was addressed as ‘former chairman’ of the EFCC even though he had not yet been officially relieved of his duties.
The letter partly read, “The bureau is investigating a case of alleged breach of Code of Conduct for Public Officers against Mr. Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, the former acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“You are expected to come along with certified true copies of the following documents: Acknowledgment slips of all your asset declarations to Code of Conduct Bureau since you joined the public service.
“Copies of your appointment letter, acceptance, records of service and payslips from January to May 2020. All documents of your landed property, both developed and undeveloped.”
Magu was suspended in July based on allegations levelled against him by a panel set up by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
Fate seems to have dealt Magu the same coin as he was instrumental in the trial of former Chief Justice, Walter Onnoghen, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Magu had written to the Presidency that there was need to get the Asset Declaration Form of the suspect, CJN Onnoghen, from the Code of Conduct Bureau for further investigation and to determine his net worth
In the letter with reference number EFCC/EC/P/01, dated January 30, 2019, and titled, “Interim investigation report: Alleged case of bribery, corruption and money laundering”, Magu asked the presidency to enable a special investigation team on the former CJN, which will include lawyers and investigators constituted to specifically investigate allegations levelled against Onnoghen.
Magu was quoted in the letter saying, “it is no doubt indicative of the fact that the suspect must have been involved in bribery and corruption as well as using some corporate entities in perpetrating his money laundering activities.”
Mr Onnoghen was thereafter suspended by President Buhari, and arrested in February 2019 for trial on six counts of alleged false assets declaration.
Magu on the other hand has now been invited by the same Code of Conduct Tribunal for the same alleged crime of false assets declaration after he was accused of buying a home in Dubai, UAE worth over N570m and being unable to account for the interest accrued to over N500bn recovered by the EFCC, allegations which he has denied.
President Buhari subsequently set up a panel, which has been headed by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, to look into the allegations.
So far, more than 12 senior EFCC officials, including the EFCC Secretary, Ola Olukoyede, have been suspended by the President pending the outcome of the probe.
