EXCLUSIVE:  How Damaging Reports From Foreign Intelligence Agencies Compelled Buhari to Suspend Magu 

By Abdul Usman, George Samuel,  Dayo Aborishade 

Damaging reports from different foreign intelligence agencies on acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, ( EFCC) Ibrahim Magu forced President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the EFCC Chief on Tuesday,  THE NIGERIA DAILY authoritatively reports .

The leading reports were from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ) of the Federal Government of the United States ; the Secret Intelligence Service(SIS)  of the United Kingdom; Canadian Security Intelligence Service(CSIS) – the main intelligence agency in Canada  and Mossad of the national intelligence agency of Israel.

According to a competent source from the presidency, the memo from the Attorney General of the Federation, Justice Abubakar Malami,  was a mere fronting and soft landing for Magu as reports from a particular foreign intelligence agency specifically requested for Magu’s extradition for trial. 

To avoid national embarrassment to the Federal Government ,  Justice Malami was recruited to blow whistle on the EFCC Boss before a presidential action followed suit. 

READ ALSO EXCLUSIVE : Tinubu mounts pressure on Justice Salami to exonerate Magu

THE NIGERIA DAILY also gathered  that President Buhari was embarrassed by the amount of figures involved in the allegations on Magu. It is so huge that the government’s reputation would be damaged nationally and internationally  if made known. 

The source also revealed that for over two weeks,  Magu has been privately visiting and pleading with Baba Gana Kingibe ( GCON), Mamman Daura and Ahmad Lawan to intervene on his behalf and rescue him . 

Kingibe , a  former Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1995, Minister of Internal Affairs from 1995 to 1997, Minister of Power and Steel from 1997 to 1998; and Secretary to the Government of the Federation from 2007 to 2008 is known to be among the powerful cabal in Buhari’s government.  Whereas Daura , Buhari’s nephew is the head of the cabal . Lawan is the Senate President and Magu believed Lawan to have the ears of the president. 

THE NIGERIA DAILY discovered that several top influential Nigerians who felt embarrassed with the way the EFCC conducted their activities kept eye on Magu . Some of them who are highly connected to   foreign intelligence agencies wrote to these agencies on a tip off of Magu’s relooting and piling of foreign currencies abroad .  The presidential source who refused to mention names told this newspaper that Magu’s saintly posture and allegiance to some politicians must have infuriated these people and they went extra mile to expose Magu .

“If he is not shielded,  the source told THE NIGERIA DAILY,  ” He might spend several years in jail . The evidences are internationally ratified and you know what that means . The President want to be remembered for standing firm on his fight against corruption only to be discover he was betrayed by the man he gave the mandate to do the fight . He( Magu) and his co-conspirators have been penned down and heads will start to roll sooner than later .” The source revealed 

During Magu’s stint as EFCC boss,  he wielded so much powers and touched the untouchables.  On November 22, 2017 , Magu and his boys were involved in a showdown for over 13 hours when the EFCC operatives stormed the home of the former Director General of the Department of State Services, Ekpenyong Ita, to effect his arrest. Magu also ransacked houses of justices of Supreme Courts and Federal Court of Appeals with reckless abandon. On some cases where the judges was granted freedom following court orders,  Magu mercilessly rearrested them and detained them at will . Magu attempted to revoke the immunity of a sitting governor when he ordered his men to arrest Ayo Fayose of  Ekiti State when he was still serving as governor.  Magu also revisited the fraud allegations on the former Governor of Abia state (1999-2007) ,Orji Uzor Kalu and prosecuted him until he was sentenced to 12 years jail term on December 4, 2019 . Kalu spent 6 months in the jail before regaining  freedom following a supreme court’s nullification of the high court ruling. 

However,  following Magu’s suspension, the Director of operations of the EFCC , Umar Mohammed has taken over the affairs of the EFCC.

READ ALSO : Buhari names Mohammed Umar acting EFCC chairman

Recall that THE NIGERIA DAILY reported how President Muhammadu Buhari approved the suspension of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, from office on Tuesday. The suspension followed  the investigation of allegations of gross misconduct against him on Monday.

The EFCC boss appeared before a presidential probe panel headed by retired Justice Ayo Salami, who is investigating the allegations against him on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Presidency in reaction to the probe of Magu, declared that it shows that nobody under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is above scrutiny. “A monitored report suggests that the investigation of the EFCC boss was to reinforce that this administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability, adding that the holder of such office must be above suspicion.
A monitored report states that the interrogation of Magu is to give him the opportunity to clear himself of the weighty allegations against him.”