Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and it led to  EFCC's acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu's fall.

Despite opposition to his  appointment, President Muhammadu Buhari' benevolence ensured his continued stay in office. Politics notwithstanding, Buhari's austere and anti-corruption was well known, and to continue to enjoy his support Magu needed to be as clean as a new needle. But he was not. 

Perhaps intoxicated by power,  he failed to see that his creation, the 'Magu boy' were dancing to wild  drumbeats that gradually became unmanageable.

True, Magu took on the high and mighty in what many saw as a courageous fight against corruption, but he was slowly, gradually drawn into corruption's mire.

Thus when the reports began tumbling vin, there was no hiding place for him. According to a popular newspaper columnist, two power brokers in Nigeria called Buhari to report uncanny experiences with Magu’s EFCC.

One was the former Minister of Defence and highly respected retired General TY Danjuma. It was gathered that his Lagos home was raided by Magu’s boys during the lockdown. And as if that was not enough, the next morning after the raid, he discovered that his accounts were frozen by EFCC.

He was said to have  called Buhari who profusely apologised and then sent an emissary comprising the National Security Adviser,  and top Generals in this Government.

The team had barely come back when it was again reported by top security aides to Buhari that Magu’s boys had gone to former Head of State, Abdusalami Abubakar’s house and turned the place upside down.

At that point Buhàri  felt he had created a monster that  needed to be tamed. But there was need to ensure that it was done in a way that will not create the impression that Magu was removed because of these two men.

Magu had so many enemies but his worst enemies seemed to have been his closest, the Magu  boys. It was a big disgrace for Buhari to have to start playing cleaner, cleaning the mess Magu had created all because he had power to do continued as he liked.

Buhari had to acquiesce to those who have been calling for Magu to be investigated. It was like the proverbial man who the enemies wanted to kill but he himself went to rub his body with petrol and sat beside fire. That was how the Salami panel was born.

Çredit: AbujaReporters.com