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The President Muhammadu Buhari's Media and Publicity team were clearly at their wits end when the otherwise reputable The Guardian reported that the President had finally sacked Acting Chairman of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu who failed Senate screening for his confirmation'
The Guardian apparently playing on the loud silence from the Presidency since the Senate hearing may have been persuaded by the anti-Magu cabal in the Presidency to fly the the kite that President Buhari may have replaced Magu.
The Guardian which credited its stories to 'sources' stated that Magu's redeployment back to Nigerian Police Force, NPF, was to pave way for a fresh person to be presented by Buhari as the Senate refused to confirm his nomination.
However reacting swiftly to the development, Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) on his tweeter arms, 🇳🇬 @GarShehu tweeted as follows:
1. We are reading reports that the @officialEFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu has been sacked.
2. No report has been made available to the Presidency by the Attorney General of the Federation over the matter.
3. The report of his sack is therefore speculative and preemptive.
Collaborating Shehu's tweets, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser On Media & Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari oh his twitter handle @FemAdesina said there was ‘No truth in story making the rounds that Magu has been removed as EFCC chairman. AGF is even yet to submit his probe report to the President.”
Magu troubles began after he investigated and helped launch a prosecution of Senate President Bukola Saraki for falsifying his asset declarations. His actions made enemies for him in the Senate.
Magu is also targeted by strong forces in President Buhari's cabinet opposed to the anti-corruption campaign. The Senators thus mobilised to get the aye of the majority and refuse to screen him for confirmation. They cited a Directorate of State Security, DSS report that tied Magu to have benefitted from corruption investigations.
An online platform, SaharaReporters had in several reports revealed that a cabal at the Presidency was behind maneuvers to remove Magu from the EFCC. The cabal, which includes Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, Mr. Daura of the DSS, and Mr. Malami, has unsuccessfully tried to stop the prosecution of Senator Saraki as well as other major corruption suspects, among them oil tycoon Jide Omokore. Mr. Omokore’s Atlantic Energy was deeply involved in fraudulent oil swap deals approved by former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, who fled to the UK just before Mr. Buhari came to office.
SaharaReporters learned that members of the cabal at the Presidency were behind the rumors that President Buhari had sacked Mr. Magu.
However, the Presidency Saturday swiftly reacted, dismissing a report in the The Guardian that President Muhammadu Buhari may have removed the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, from office.
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