Buhari Approves Judicial Panel Of Enquiry Against Magu, After Several Witnesses

THE Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Enquiry under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act (Cap T21, LFN, 2004), to investigate the alleged financial impropriety and mismanagement of recovered assets levelled against the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu.

Malami, Buhari and Magu

Buhari named the following persons as members of the panel: Justice Isa Ayo Salami (rtd) – North Central (Kwara) – chairman; DIG Anthony Ogbizi Michael (NPF)- South -South – Deputy chairman; Muhammad Abubakar Babadoko (FMOJ)- North Central- member; Hassan Yahaya Abdullahi (DSS) – North Central (Member); Muhammad Shamsuddeen (OAGF)- North West (Member); Douglas Egweme (NFIU) – South-East (Member) and Barr Kazeem Attitebi – South-West – Secretary.











Remember that Magu was arrested on July 6, 2020 at the Wuse office of the EFCC and he was directed to appear before the Salami- led panel.


It is important to state that some witnesses have testified against Magu while the latter was said to have been served with the allegations and terms of reference on Saturday, August 8, 2020.


Multiple sources close to the Presidency also disclosed that the panel was given 45 days to submit its report.


It is not certain if the numbers of days already spent by the panel so far would be deemed as part of the 45-day timeline as the panel has been sitting in private, barring journalists from covering its proceedings.










Allegations against Magu included alleged discrepancies in the reconciliation records of the EFCC and the Federal Ministry of Finance on recovered funds, declaration of N504b as recovered funds instead of N543b found in the CBN recovery account.


The record has over N39b discrepancy between recorded and declared.










He was also accused of insubordination to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF) and Minister of Justice.

Magu

Magu was also accused of not providing enough evidences for the extradition of former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke and alleged late action on the investigation of P&ID leading to legal dispute.










These allegations were listed among others in the memo sent to President Muhammadu Buhari.


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