The suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu has denied reports that he gave N4 billion to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, saying it falsehood calculated to tarnish the hard earned reputation of the Vice President.
Mr Magu equally denied giving the sum of N28 million to human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana SAN.
Magu who was released on Wednesday evening made this disclosure in a petition he addressed to the Chairman of the Presidential Investigations Panel, Justice Isa Ayo Salami titled: “Publications Prejudicial to the proceedings of this honourable panel”, and signed by his lawyer, Mr Wahab Kunle Shittu.
“Our client strongly denies this falsehood against the respected Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Our client has never given the sum of N4billion or any sum at all to Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON, Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria as wrongly reported,” Mr Shittu said in the petition.
He added that, “this allegation is complete falsehood designed to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the Vice President.
“This allegation is complete fabrication. Our client never gave N28 million or any amount to Mr Femi Falana SAN as maliciously reported. Our client also denies any link with a Kaduna-based Bureau De Change Operator as alleged”.
President Muhammadu Buhari constituted the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel holding its sittings at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to probe various allegations levelled against Magu, following petitions by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Department of State Service (DSS).
Malami’s memo allegedly accused Magu of diversion of recovered loot. The memo was said to contain 22 allegations against the embattled EFCC chairman.
President Buhari had on Friday approved the suspension of Magu as Acting Chairman of the EFCC through an announcement by the AGF and appointed the agency’s Director of Operations, Mohammed Umar, to take charge and oversee the activities of the Commission pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation by Justice Salami-led panel.
A day after his suspension, the presidency opened up on the reasons Magu was being investigated.
A presidential media aide, Garba Shehu, in an official statement issued on the suspension of Magu, said a series of documented allegations were made against him.
