More details have emerged on how Ibrahim Magu, acting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, chairman, was whisked away by security agents earlier today.
ABN TV reported Mr. Magu’s arrest on Monday afternoon at the Wuse II office of the EFCC.
Multiple sources told this newspaper that the security agents who arrested Mr. Magu took him directly to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he was to appear before a presidential panel investigating alleged corruption and insubordination.
The allegations were levelled against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation. Abubakar Malami.
Mr. Malami reportedly accused Mr. Magu of insubordination and re-looting of recovered funds.
In separate statements today, the SSS denied arresting Mr. Magu while the EFCC said he was only invited for questioning.
Mr. Magu was still in custody at the time of this report.
How the arrest took place
Sources familiar with the matter narrated to PREMIUM TIMES (not ABN TV) how Mr. Magu was picked up.
He was reportedly arrested at the entrance of the Wuse II EFCC office by the security agents believed to be operatives of the Police Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CID).
One of the sources said the arrest was done in a Gestapo-like manner reminiscent of the SSS’ raid of the National Assembly in 2018.
A source said the EFCC boss’s convoy was stopped by armed security agents “but Mr. Magu’s security details challenged them.”
The incident led to a shouting match between the armed operatives from both groups for several minutes, the source said.
“Magu and his convoy were driving to the EFCC’s office in Wuse II. Unknown to Magu, the security agents had laid siege around the entrance of the commission office. As his convoy tried to gain entrance to the EFCC’s building, the security agents blocked him with one of their vehicles.
“With the type of vehicle that was used, it was clear that they were not criminals but security agents. Magu’s escorts then came out to challenge the security agents. That led to some shouting match for several minutes. Magu then agreed that he would go with them,” a witness and security official said.
Another official said although “the security agencies came with two official vehicles, they allowed Magu to stay in his own car on conditions that one of the security agents sits with him.”
“He was then driven away to the presidential panel afterward,” the witness said.
“It was still Magu’s driver that drove the car (with Magu inside) with one officer, and one of the security agents that came to arrest him. The first security car that came for him was in front, the second was at the back of Magu’s car and his own convoy joined up to the Presidential Villa,” the source added.
Magu’s unending troubles
Mr. Magu, who was appointed as acting chief of the anti-graft agency in 2015 by President Muhammad Buhari was rejected twice by the 8th Assembly under the leadership of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
This was after the SSS said the nominee lacked the integrity to lead the country’s anti-corruption agency.
The presidency has balked at resending Mr. Magus’s name for screening since then.
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