Fred Itua, Abuja

Suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, was again, grilled by members of the inter-agency presidential panel, over alleged abuse of office and fraud, yesterday.

At the resumed probe, top staff of the commission and directors appeared before the panel where more revelations were made.

As part of the ongoing investigation, it was gathered that two bulletproof official vehicles belonging to the suspended chairman have been recovered. One was recovered in Abuja and the other in Maiduguri, Borno State. The two vehicles have been parked at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Confirming the seizure, the same source told Daily Sun that the bulletproof vehicle was previously parked at the Force headquarters, but was later moved to the commission’s headquarters today.

Daily Sun gathered that Magu was also grilled by the panel over funds for foreign trainings for three years. Although the trainings did not take place , it was gathered that the panel raised query about the budget for the programmes.

It was learnt the commission , in the last three years, expended  N700 million annually , being the  budgetary allocation, specially earmarked for foreign training of operatives and staff. However, it was gathered that no staff was ever sent abroad for any training and the cumulative N2.1 billion budgeted for in three years could not be accounted for. Directors and other officials were also grilled. It was further gathered that operatives from the Force Criminal Investigation Division (FCID) have sealed up Magu’s office located on the tenth floor of the new EFCC office located along Airport Road, Jabi. His office in Wuse II has also been sealed up by operatives from FCID. His personal staff were prevented from accessing their offices or the floor housing the offices in the two buildings.

A source said operatives stormed the Commission and sealed off the office without offering any explanation to staff who watched in shock.

“They came today (yesterday) and sealed off the office. They stopped personal and EFCC staff working on that floor from accessing their offices. Some had to go home, while others just lurked around.”

Meanwhile, Pastor Emmanuel Omale of an Abuja based church has refuted media claims that he laundered money for Magu abroad.

In a letter addressed to the manaagent of the News Agency of Nigeria by his lawyers, the pastor demanded a retraction of the story and an apology within seven days.

He said if the story is not retracted and an apology offered, a N1 billion libel suit will be filed against the agency.

I’m traumatised 

–Malami

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has threatened to go to court over series of allegations against him.

In a statement by his media aide, Umar Gwandu, Malami said the publications have subjected him to “considerable distress, psychological trauma, anxiety and greatly injured his character and reputation”.

The AGF said his person is suffering “what appears like a coordinated attack.”

He insisted that the publications were untrue, fabrication and figment of the imagination.”

Malami noted that he has been receiving telephone calls and visits “from well-meaning Nigerians, his friends, well-wishers and associates from all over the world.”

The minister said the publications against him were contrary to Nigerian Criminal and Penal Laws and a gross violation of his right.

“A senior lawyer has already been briefed to deal with the matter as may be appropriate, in the event of failure to retract the publication in question and offer the requested apology within seven days”, the statement said.

 Arrest him now, lawyer tells Buhari

However, a human rights lawyer, Kabir Akingbolu, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order the immediate arrest of Malami for “illegally” approving the auctioning of sea vessels holding crude oil and diesel seized by the Federal Government.

Malami was reported to have given approval to Omoh-Jay Nigeria Ltd, an oil firm, to auction the crude oil and diesel in four sea vessels despite the firm being tried for allegedly stealing about 12,000 metric tonnes of crude oil in 2009. But Malami said he committed no illegality in approving the auction. He said by virtue of Section 36 (5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Omoh-Jay Nigeria Ltd which is a duly registered company can participate in the auction bidding process since it is yet to be found guilty for the allegations for which it is standing trial.

In a statement yesterday, Akingbolu said since the AGF has admitted that he personally authorised the sale of confiscated properties without the authorisation of the EFCC, he has “committed an offence under section 32 (1) of the EFCC Act” and is “liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of five years without the option of a fine.”

He said the AGF acted beyond his powers when he independently gave approval for auctioning without the authorisation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He said section 31 (4) of the EFCC Act gives powers to the AGF to only make rules for the disposal of seized assets to ensure that the power of sale is not abused by the EFCC.

“To further expose the anomalies and administrative recklessness of Malami, may I invite him on a short excursion into section 31 (2) and (4) of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which is the enabling Act, under which he purportedly acted.

“It is submitted that the AGF does not have such power either under section 174 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

“For the purpose of elucidation and contrary to the highly misguided position of the AGF, section 31 (2) of the EFCC Act states that upon receipt of a final order pursuant to this section, the secretary to the commission shall take steps to dispose of the property concerned by sale or otherwise and where the property is sold, the proceeds thereof shall be paid into the consolidated revenue fund of the federation.”

“In order to ensure that the power of sale of confiscated properties is not abused by the EFCC, the AGF is authorised by section 31 (4) of the EFCC Act to ‘make rules or regulations for the disposal or sale of any property or assets forfeited pursuant to this Act.’