Abdulsalami says house not searched by EFCC

Abdulsalami Abubakar

AS the investigation into the corruption allegations levelled against the embattled acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, entered its fourth day on Thursday, the secretary of the anti-graft agency, Olanipekun Olukoyede and some of its directors have appeared before the panel.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that they were questioned by the Justice Ayo Salamiled panel on what they know about the 21-point allegations raised by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, against Magu.

The EFCC officials were said to have been invited to shed light on the investigation to enable the investigative panel to reach a conclusion and necessary recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari.

As of 7.45 p.m of Thursday, the time of this report, the top EFCC officials were still in a meeting with the panel.

It was gathered that the panel instructed the senior EFCC officials to provide files of cases handled since 2015, including forfeited assets and all cash releases within days As the panel continues its probe, the commission continued to be without a clear administrative head, as the president was yet to formally request any of its senior officials to act in that capacity.

Magu, who has continued to be held in detention while his residences have been searched, is likely to be removed from the post.

A source confided in the Nigerian Tribune that in the absence of Magu, EFCC officials were as of Thursday evening, still waiting for directives on the way to go.

Meanwhile, a former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has said his house has never been searched by the economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or any security agency.

Apparently reacting to reports that the EFCC searched his house in Minna, Niger State, Abubakar, through his military assistant, Captain J. Mfon (retd), said the closest to such was in 2017 when some EFCC operatives from Kano mistook his house for one which was to be searched in Tunga.

General Abdulsalami said when the officers arrived ats house, he contacted Magu who said he was unaware of the operation and the officers immediately left, realising that they were at a wrong place.

Abdulsalami added that consequently, the officers left without conducting any search on his house. The statement added that to put the record straight, the house of the former head of state has never been searched by officials of either the EFCC or any other security agency.

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