Magu Begs Salami Panel: ‘Be Fair To Me, I Will Cooperate’

The suspended chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has urged the Justice Ayo Salami panel to be “fair-minded” in its investigation of the corruption allegations against him.

Magu made the appeal in a statement issued by his lawyer, Wahab Shittu, and made available to THE WHISTLER on Friday.

The embattled EFCC chairman also appealed to Nigerians to maintain “open mind” towards him pending the outcome of investigations by the panel.

THE WHISTLER recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had constituted the presidential panel to investigate Magu after the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, levelled weighty allegations of corruption and insubordination against the ex-EFCC chairman in a letter he wrote to the president.

Since the commencement of the investigative process, several media reports had attributed some allegations against Magu to the panel.

They include allegations that Magu allegedly failed to declare 322 properties recovered by the EFCC to the federal government as well the claim that the former EFCC boss had acquired a property worth N573 million in Dubai using funds from corruption proceeds.

But Magu, while reaffirming his commitment to the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption fight, maintained that the allegations against him in the media were false.

The statement by his lawyer reads in part: “Our client undertakes to cooperate fully with the Salami panel by making available to the panel formal response to the allegations against him in the social media platforms and Newspapers since he has not been formally served with copies of the allegations against him by the panel.

“Our client strongly appeals for a fair- minded probe proceedings against him including an open mind by the Nigerian people until the probe process is completed.

“Our client acknowledges the widely respected integrity of Mr President and chairman of the probe panel, Hon Justice Ayo salami ( Rtd) and is hopeful that the truth in his case will ultimately prevail.

“Our client urges Nigerians and the international community to continue to support the current administration’s quest to rid our society against graft,” he said.

According to Shittu, Magu did not take his current travails with bitterness, adding that the ex-EFCC boss believed that the law was bigger than anybody, no matter how highly placed.

He added that, “Our client pleads that no publication be attributed to him without clearance from him directly or his counsel on record.

“Our client will NEVER be a party to any derogatory comments against this Administration which he considers himself to be an integral part of, and the President he respects so much.

“Our client is not contemplating any legal proceedings against this Government that has given him an opportunity to serve and for which he retains uncommon respect and admiration mainly because of the commitment of the Administration to the anti corruption crusades which he shares with passion. “