It was just that those sent to invite him for whatever reasons best known to them invited some press along and made it look like an arrest.
The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, is still at the Presidential Villa.
Magu, who was stopped as he left the EFCC office in Wuse area of Abuja on Monday and directed to head to the Presidential Villa, had been undergoing questioning from a presidential panel.
According to available information, as soon as he arrived at the Presidential Villa, his lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, also joined him there.
Feelers have it that Magu is being questioned over a memo by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to President Muhammadu Buhari, accusing the EFCC boss of a cocktail of offences.
This position was confirmed by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption in a statement on Monday.
The statement was signed by one of its members, Prof. Femi Odekunle.
It said in part: “This is a preliminary reaction of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) to the alleged ‘arrest’ of Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“Of course, the real information reaching us is that he was only invited to appear before a Panel set up not long ago concerning some alleged memo by Malami, Attorney General and Minister of justice, regarding some alleged malfeasance by Magu, along with nominations for his replacement.
“It was just that those sent to invite him for whatever reasons best known to them invited some press along and made it look like an arrest.
“That mischief has been confirmed by some apparent afterthought denial by the DSS that it was not an arrest.
“While PACAC has not had a formal meeting on this development, I have discussed with the Chairman and some other members and the following can be considered as PACAC’s preliminary reaction to this development.
“1. The alleged originating Malami memo, up to the current “arrest” seems an outcome of power-play by power blocs in the corridors of power in which Malami appears to be an arrow-head or major agent of a power bloc that is not really interested in, or in support of, Buhari’s anti-corruption fight.
“i. One can recall the earlier non-confirmation experience of Magu by the 8th Assembly, orchestrated by a power bloc and supported by the DSS ‘Security’ reports.
“ii. One can also note the non-resubmission of Magu for confirmation since May, 2019 despite the apparent willingness of the 9th Assembly to consider it this time around.
“iii. Furthermore, one must take cognisance of the alleged memo referred to earlier i.e by Malami concerning alleged corrupt practices by Magu, along with his own nominations for Magu’s replacement.
“iv. Again, we cannot forget Malami’s demand of certain high profile case files from Magu which the latter has been resisting. The position of PACAC is that while Magu, or any official of whatever status, must be nailed if found to be corrupt, the President must be careful not to shoot its anti-corruption fight /modest achievements in the foot, and not to forget that EFCC under Magu has been the Administration’s anti-corruption poster-face.
“It may not be contestable that Malami has been exploiting his alleged loyalty and closeness to the President for his personal/power bloc agenda.
“For, to the best of PACAC’s knowledge and observations, Malami has not manifested any genuine commitment to the anti-corruption fight.”
