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Tag: Ibrahim Magu

  • N1.3trn public funds stolen in four years, says Magu

    A WHOPPING N1.3 trillion public funds were stolen by 32 entities (human and corporate) between 2011 and 2015, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu has said.

    Magu made the revelation yesterday in his keynote remarks at the opening of the 2019 First Batch Conversion Training Programme to Procurement Cadre for Federal Parastatal and Agencies.

    The event was organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Lagos.

    The EFCC chair, whose paper was delivered by the Commission’s Secretary, Ola Olukoyede, decried the impact of the huge financial loss on the country.

    He said: “One third of this money, using World Bank rates and cost, could have comfortably been used to construct well over 500km of roads; build close to 200 schools; educate about 4000 children from primary to tertiary levels at N25 million per child; build 20,000 units of two-bedroom houses across the country and do even more.

    “The cost of this grand theft, therefore, is that these roads, schools and houses will never be built and these children will never have access to quality education because a few rapacious individuals had cornered for themselves what would have helped secure the lives of the future generations, thereby depriving them of quality education and healthcare, among others.”

    He identified the poor state of procurement process as one of the major reasons corruption continued to thrive in government agencies and parastatals.

    Magus listed some of the fraudulent practices in procurement process in Nigeria to include: kickbacks, conflict of interests, fraud in the bidding process, bid suppression, collusive bidding, bid rotation and market division.

    Others, according to him are: co-mingling of contracts, change order abuse, cost mischarging, defective pricing, false statement and claim, phantom vendors, product substitution, unnecessary purchases and purchases for personal use or resale.

    The EFCC chair noted that the training was aimed at giving the participants the tools, knowledge and understanding they would need to carry out their duties in their respective places of primary assignments in an efficient and transparent manner.

    “I sincerely hope that at the end of this training, we will see a few cases of financial propriety in our procurement processes in government agencies and parastatal. Indeed, corruption could kill Nigeria, if we do not scale up our proficiency in contract and procurement management process,” Magu said.

    Read also: Magu: Looters now stash funds in Seychelles, South Africa, Niger, Ghana

    Giving insights into what necessitated the establishment of the EFCC in 2003, he said: “The establishment of the EFCC in 2003 was because of the determination of the Federal Government to combat fraudulent activities of some Nigerians and foreigners, mismanagement in the economic sector, corruption by public officials and lack of accountability and transparency in government dealings.”

    Magu expressed confidence that Nigeria still has patriotic and credible individuals who would do all within their abilities to uphold the credibility and honesty required for leadership in public offices.

  • EFCC advises tribunal judges, lawyers against stolen funds 

    •Anti-graft war: EFCC faults UK agency 

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu yesterday warned judges and lawyers involved in election petition tribunals against money laundering.

    He said they must not allow the corrupting influence of money and other inducements to influence the process and determine the outcome of petitions.

    Magu, in a statement, noted that many judges wrongly see Election Tribunals and Appeal Panels as potential gold mines.

    “Consequently, we want to remind all lawyers, judges, elected public officials and members of the wider society not to use the Election Petition Tribunals as conduits for siphoning public funds because there is a huge price to pay for such.

    “The EFCC has the statutory powers to monitor, track, investigate, arrest and prosecute such and other offences.

    “Our Commission shall exercise such powers throughout this election period and beyond in the interest of building a corrupt-free democratic society where probity and accountability are enthroned for good governance.

    “The guiding principle of the EFCC on this matter is simple and straightforward: the right of choice of Nigerian voters is sacrosanct, and justice is not for sale,” Magu said.

    According to Magu, all lawyers and judges at the Tribunals have a responsibility to dispense justice without inducement, fear or favour.

    He said with the international community watching, Nigerians have a patriotic duty to act responsibly, and portray a good image for Nigeria.

    “The principal actors at the Tribunals comprising petitioners, defendants, lawyers and judges have greater roles to play in this than the rest of us.

    “The EFCC wants to strongly state that the rights of Nigerian voters to freely choose their leaders are sacrosanct and that their choice should not be thwarted on the altar of corrupt material inducement by anyone,” Magu said.

    Urging Nigerians to come out enmass to vote tomorrow, Magu said elections are the only way they can collectively build a free, stable and prosperous democratic society for the benefit of all citizens.

    The statement adds: “As a law enforcement agency, our first duty is to advice all parties in the electoral process to abide by all rules and regulations of the electioneering process.

    “This advice is necessary, because, following the conclusion of the elections held last week, the battleground is now shifting to the courtrooms for election litigations.

    “This will be more so when the Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections are held this weekend.

    “In anticipation of the flood of petitions that may be received at the end of the elections, the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, has already sworn in the members of the Election Petition Tribunals on 26th January 2019.

    “As the Tribunal members get set to begin handling complaints from aggrieved parties and contestants, millions of Nigerians are placing high expectations on its just and fair outcome.

    “Hence, the EFCC has the responsibility of reminding all those that may be involved in the litigations that the courts are temples of justice where only the facts of the case(s) should determine the outcome.

    “Deploying monetary and other non-monetary externalities will be a fruitless and harmful exercise that must be avoided by all means.

    “Beside contestants, the attention of members of the Bar and Bench, and other stake holders, is hereby drawn to the dangers and perfidy of allowing the corrupting influence of money and other inducements to influence the process and determine the outcome.

    “This is necessary, because, many Judges wrongly see Election Tribunals and Appeal Panels as potential gold mines, desperately lobbied and continue to lobby, to be included as members.

    “Some ‘smart’ judges lobby and salivate to be posted to states, criminally conceived as the juiciest gold mines.

    “This uncontrolled and suicidal temptation of acquiring undue riches overnight is already enticing and trapping a certain number of lawyers and Judges with possible prosecution and certain professional ruin.

    “Therefore, all lawyers, judges, state governors, top government officials, politically-aligned businessmen and other stakeholders should be wary of this undesirable and ignominious fate.

    “The Tribunals should be allowed to operate in accordance with due process, devoid of using illicit monies and means to negatively influence the course of justice.

    “The EFCC possesses ample information on how the perversion of justice with ill-gotten money is initiated, organised and executed by individuals and groups within the political, bureaucratic and judicial systems of the nation.

    “The EFCC also possesses information on how the beneficiaries of corrupt monies receive, hide, transfer and invest the loot at home and abroad in order to conceal their true source.

    “We want to make it clear that, in this day and age of the information technology, international legal instruments and Mutual Legal Assistance between countries across the globe, there is no hiding place for corruption and money laundering no matter how witty or crafty the perpetrators may be.”

    Magu cited an example of a money laundering case that arose from a previous election.

    “After the 2015 elections, a gubernatorial candidate from one of the South-South states hired the services of a lawyer (SAN) to file a petition at the Election Tribunal over the outcome of the election.

    “When he was eventually sworn into office, he paid an astronomical and heart-wrenching N1.4 billion to the lawyer from the coffers of the state for ‘services’ rendered before he became governor.

    “The EFCC was following the money trail and discovered that a large part of the sum was diverted and shared between several accomplices, all of whom are now standing trial at the Federal High Court for violating the provisions of the Money Laundering Act 2011.

    “I conclude by recalling what Chief Robert Clarke, SAN, said recently on the centrality of the judiciary and corruption to our nation’s quest for survival.

    “He said: ‘Corruption has eaten deep everywhere in Nigeria, and if corruption creeps into the judiciary, that is the end of the nation.’ This is a warning we must all take very seriously,” Magu said.

  • EFCC accuses 10 banks of money laundering

    The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, on Friday accused 10  unnamed commercial banks of money laundering.

    The EFCC chief condemned the increasing wave of illicit financial flows and vote buying in the country during elections.

    He spoke in Lagos during a round table meeting with managing directors of financial institutions in Nigeria.

    The EFFC boss said: “It is worrisome to note that in 2018, statistics available to the EFCC shows that out of about 28 commercial banks in Nigeria, 10 banks evacuated out of Nigeria through Travelex Nigeria Limited the sums of GBP- 50,832,560; USD-8,057,756; EURO-39,986,560 and RAND-7,500,000. The reasons for these evacuations are still sketchy. We must note that the impact of illicit financial flows from the country undermine the stability and integrity of the financial institutions.”

    The EFCC boss also expressed concern that the culture of large cash transactions was still being allowed in some banks, adding that there was no commensurate reporting of those transactions to the relevant agencies.

    According to him, the banks still operate accounts without Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and have remained complacent in reporting those accounts to the relevant authorities, or freeze the accounts in accordance with the CBN policy.

    “The banks are rather complacent in dealing with Crypto-currency or bitcoins as the case may be and have not taken measure to monitor such transactions or put adequate surveillance on such accounts. The banks are observed to still hold customers accounts in their suspense accounts, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace and have access to those funds”, he observed.

    Read also: Looters stashing funds in Seychelles, South Africa, Niger, Ghana, says Magu

    According to him, intelligence reports have shown that banks are aiding their customers to receive foreign financial inflows to their accounts in neighbouring countries, where they have branches like Ghana, Republic of Niger and other West African countries.

    “The money is then couriered into Nigeria through the land borders to circumvent declaration and reporting”, he stated.

    He added that banks had the habit of under-reporting transactions in some cases while carrying out defensive filing of transactions after they had been consummated.

    Describing them as “gatekeepers”, Magu said no country could control illicit financial flows without the cooperation of financial institutions.

    He, therefore, charged the managing directors to join hands with the Commission to save the country from being hijacked by criminals.

    Magu, who spoke on the theme: “Roles and Obligations of Managing Directors of Banks in Nigeria in Curbing Vote Buying During an Election, Illicit Financial Flows and Other Related Matters in Nigeria”.

    The EFCC Chair, in his address, recalled that the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, during a meeting with Bankers’ Committee sometime in September 2018, made a commitment to work with the EFCC and the banks to curb this menace.

    He said illicit financial flows would reduce the amount of resources available to the government to provide critical social services to the citizenry.

    According to the anti-graft czar, vote buying during elections would prevent credible candidates from running for political offices, adding that “in Nigeria, vote buying has reached an alarming proportion to the extent that politicians have now spread their tentacles to election officials, security agencies, election observers and even the media”.

    Magu, however, lamented that the illicit financial flows out of the country was on the increase and that politicians were still “perpetrating and trying to finalise their acts of vote buying.”

    “It is also worthy of note that illicit financial flows during election are a common denominator and can be tied to vote buying. Politicians either bring in money to further their cause or try to export money to their cohorts outside the country to get them to influence the elections in one way or the other”, he added.

     

  • Looters stashing funds in Seychelles, South Africa, Niger, Ghana, says Magu

    The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu on Friday said looters now stash illicit funds in African countries such as Ghana, Egypt, Cameroon, South Africa, Niger Republic, Morocco and others.

     He said the preferred destinations for looters have traditionally been the United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Seychelles but they have started expanding down home to African countries.

    Magu made the disclosures at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and its Niger Republic counterpart, the High Authority Against Corruption and Relating Crimes (HALCIA) in Niamey.

    He said: “From available intelligence and our investigations, it has been revealed that looters from Nigeria now go to Ghana, Egypt, Cameroon, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Morocco, Seychelles and so on, to stash their loots.

    “This has led to sharp increase in the number of Nigerians buying properties in African countries.

    “Nigerians “even go to the extent of changing their names and acquiring the destination countries’ international passports in collusion with corrupt public officers in their countries of residence in order to hide their identities and evade detection.”

    Read also: Ganduje promises to welcome back Kwankwaso to APC if…

    He said: “the fight of the EFCC against looters’ safe havens is total.”

    The EFCC boss further disclosed his visit to Niger Republic was part of his continuing tour at mobilizing international efforts against looters’ safe havens.

    He added: “We have already visited Ghana and Cameroun, today we are in Niger Republic and we will continue to reach out to other preferred looters destinations in Africa and beyond.

    “Interestingly, the efforts of the Nigerian Government to trace, recover and return assets stolen from Nigeria coupled with our increased advocacy to discourage safe havens have begun to yield results.

    “It is my conviction that our collaborative efforts will go a long way in eliminating safe havens.

    “In fact, this is in tandem with renewed global commitment by countries to shut their doors to stolen funds.

    “I also want to call for conscious measures to sanitize and strengthen the legal framework so as to make it difficult for looters to transfer illicit funds to Niger Republic for investment or whatever purpose.”

    He called on the global community to urgently redouble its efforts towards strengthening the mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for proceeds of corruption.

    He also called on the international community to ensure the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin.

    According to a statement by Acting Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Tony Orilade, the MoU will strengthen the collaborative efforts between the Nigerian front row anti-corruption agency and that of its Niger Republic counterpart.

    HALCIA, which is the agency in charge of the prevention and fight against corruption and related offences in Niger Republic was established by the country’s Law No 2016-44 of December 06, 2016.

    The signing of the document followed a two-day working visit to Niger Republic by the EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

  • EFCC denies deal to exclude Dikko from prosecution

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) has denied being part of any deal to exclude former Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Inde Dikko from criminal prosecution bothering on fraud and money laundering.

    EFCC made the clarification in a notice of preliminary objection it filed in a suit by Dikko, in which the ex-Customs chief claimed to have entered an agreement with the EFCC to refund about N1.6billion to Federal Government’s coffers, following which he would excluded from prosecution.

    Lawyer to Dikko, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), while arguing his client’s counter-affidavit to EFCC’s objection on Thursday, contended that it was a breach of an existing agreement and contract for EFCC to seek to prosecute the ex-Customs chief after he has kept to his side of the bargain and made huge refund to the government.

    Magaji also faulted EFCC’s claim that the suit was wrongly commenced by way of origination summons.

    He argued that, contrary to EFCC’s contention, facts in the case were not contentious. He added that the issue involved in the case was simple.

    Mahmud said: “Our case is simply about the interpretation of Section 174 of the Constitution and Section14 (2) of EFCC Act, and no more.

    “Our decision to bring this action by way of an originating summons is the appropriate position. There is no hostility in the whole case.

    “Our client was to be prosecuted for financial crimes. When he was invited, he was confronted by information the EFCC said it has against him by virtue of its investigation activities.

    “He (Dikko) was confronted with options of either to enter a refund agreement of be prosecuted. He agreed to a refund. And made refund in several tranches.

    “At every payment, we ensured that we get evidence of payment from the bank,” Magaji said.

    Read Also: EFCC denies deal to exclude ex-Customs chief Dikko from prosecution

    He identified the evidence of payment as reflected in some court documents marked as Exhibit 1 to 20D, and said “these are the evidence of the refund we made”

    When asked by the judge, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, about where the said agreement was reached, Magaji said a meeting was held at the instance of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

    Magaji added that after the agreement was reached by parties, an official of the EFCC, who he identified as Hajeed (who was the IPO in the case), provided an account number into which his client (Dikko) made all the refund he made.

    He added: “We have fulfilled our side of the agreement. It is for the EFCC to fulfil its own side of the agreement, by complying and allowing things to settle

    “We are asking that under Section 174 of Constitution and Section 14(2) of EFCC Act, the EFCC is not bound by this agreement.

    “We are asking this court to enforce this agreement on them. They should be bound by the agreement,” Mahmud said.

    In a counter-argument, EFCC’s lawyer, Chile Okoroma urged the court to decline jurisdiction over the suit because it was wrongly instituted.

    Okoroma argued that the case was brought under the originating summons rules when facts in the suit are disputed.

    He added: “They said they made some payments by agreement and we said no, we are not aware of any payment.

    “They claimed Magu (EFCC’s Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu) was part of the agreement, but we said no. We do not know anything about the agreement they claimed to have with the AGF.

    “These are triable issues. There are contentious facts and we say, we need those disputed facts to be resolved by calling oral evidence. That is our ground of objecting to the suit.

    Before entertaining arguments from the two lawyers, Justice Dimgba observed that while there was evidence that the AGF was aware of the case and had been served all documents relating to it, the AGF has not filed any process in response to the case since it was commenced last year.

    In a ruling, Justice Dimgba upheld EFCC’s objection in part.

    The judge agreed that facts were contested by parties and ordered them to file pleadings.

    He said: “Having reviewed the processes filed, I am of the view that the suit was wrongly commenced. The facts are so hostile. Parties are to file pleadings.

    The judge adjourned to March 1 this year.

  • Whistleblowing policy yields N527b – EFCC

    The federal government whistleblowing policy has yielded N527 in two years, acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu has stated.

    Magu spoke at a South-south town hall meeting on whistleblowing and the fight against corruption in Nigeria in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital by African Centre for Media and Information (AFRICMIL) in partnership with Social Development Intergrated Centre (Social Action) on Thursday.

    Represented by an official of the commission, Usman Mukhtar, the EFCC chair also said the office within the period under review equally recovered the sum of $53million as well as over  £122,000.

    He added the amounts were recovered following the whistleblowing policy of the Federal Government.

    According to him: “As at May 2018, we recovered over N527 Billion, $53 million, and £122, 89 through the Whistle Blower Policy.

    “More successes are being made and the response by members of the public to the Policy has been very encouraging.”

    He explained the policy has given avenue for patriotic Nigerians to report criminal acts which are inimical to the growth and development of the country.

    He however noted some challenges affecting the effectiveness of whistleblowing policy to include poor legislation, including that of the security of whistle blowers and those intending whilstle blowers.

    Read Also: EFCC secures 40 convictions In January

    He further lamented the problem of fear of victimisation or attacks, adding the fear of victimisation whistle blowers in their place of work is currently being addressed by the whistle blower protection act passed by the National in 2017.

    “Many would- be whistle blower are afraid of reprisals,  attacks and other attendant risks involved in volunteering information about suspicious activities around them.

    “However, this challenge is already addressed by the Whistle Blower Protection Act passed by the National Assembly in 2017.

    “The Act provides that “a person who makes a disclosure shall not be subject to victimisation by his or her employers or by fellow employees.

    “Additionally, a person who makes a disclosure has the right to take legal action if he or she is victimised, dismissed, suspended, declared redundant, transferred against his or her will, harassed or intimidated in any manner,” he explained.

  • Corrupt politicians colluding with bank officials to loot, says EFCC

    Politicians are colluding with bank officials to engage in illicit financial flow, Acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Committee ( EFCC ) Ibrahim Magu has declared.

    He also stated looters are devising new tactics to escape being caught by the drag net of the commission.

    In a solidarity message to the 12 delegate conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday, Magu said the more the commission moves to address corruption, the more those involve devise new strategies.

    He also the commission’s collaboration with foreign partners have begun to yield results, adding with the MoU signed with the United Arab Emirates, the EFCC has been able to trace several assets illegally kept there.

    Magu, who was represented by a Director in the Commission, Dr. Aminu Gusau, said: “Our various investigations, we have unearthed the collusion of bank officials and those of non-designated financial institutions with corrupt politicians in the country, which have brought about an increase in the instances of illicit financial flows into and out of Nigeria.

    “We have realised that the more we spread our tentacles far and wide, even beyond the shores of Nigeria, to catch and bring to book those who hate corruptly enriched themselves from the commonwealth, the more we are discovering the corrupt minded folks are evolving new techniques.”

    Read Also: EFCC secures 40 convictions In January

    He stated the NLC has collaborated with the EFCC at various events anti-corruption walk, among other interactive forum, strategically designed to strengthen partnership.

    He went on: “Corrupt politicians have widened the circles of their corrupt activities by investing them in other African countries, so that in the long run, they sell them and deploy ways of repatriating them to Nigeria, even in the buildup to the election.

    “But, by and by, we are also stepping up our game to combat and hip in the bud, new tactics being deployed to fraudulently divert and misappropriate funds meant for the welfare and good of all Nigerians. We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

    “MoU with the Economic and Organized Crime Office, in Ghana, the Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre and the Ghana police service to ensure that we keep track of such illicit inflow and outflow of suspicious funds.

    “On our part, we are keenly monitoring the movement of cash in the system, and are awake to our responsibility of ensuring provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 are strictly adhered to, especially as it relates to election funding, and the now worrisome incidents of vote-buying.”

  • Fresh moves to ease Magu out unfounded – EFCC Spokesman

    Tony Orilade, Acting Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, says media reports on fresh moves to remove the Acting Chairman of the commission by the Presidency is unfounded.

    Orilade said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday while reacting to a report that the Presidency planned to remove Ibrahim Magu, the commisaion’s Acting Chairman.

    According to him, Magu will not want to be distracted by unfounded media reports.

    “He is focused on the fight against corruption and majority of Nigerians who are beneficiaries of the corruption fight are happy with him.

    “With securing 312 convictions, including two ex-governors last year and five convictions already in 2019, the EFCC under Magu’s leadership deserves an applause,” orilade said.

    NAN recalls that a report in the media stated that the EFCC chairman may be asked to pursue further studies in order to advance his career in the Nigeria Police Force where he is already a commissioner.

    NAN recalls that Magu had been in acting capacity for more than three years.

    The Senate had twice refused to confirm Magu as substantive chairman of the commission. (NAN)

  • Three years of war against corruption

    On November 12, 2018, the Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, reviewed the nation’s fight against corruption and also presented his scorecard.

    There is no doubt that the fight against corruption has been a daunting one, for as the Chairman rightly noted, the fight against corruption, especially in Nigeria, has never been, is not and can never be easy.

    This is because since independence in 1960, a major decimal in the nation’s life cycle has been the issue of corruption with the attendant challenges and hiccups it had brought on the national psyche and growth.

    It is noteworthy that this cancerous virus was a major plank on which the nation witnessed her first military coups and the same malignant tumour never escaped mention in subsequent coups and counter coups.

    Unfortunately, in some instances, those who came to the scene on the platform of fighting corruption later became the epitome of corruption.

    Over the years, the Commission has not fared too badly – despite the plethora of allegations of witch-hunting, one-sided fight, unwillingness to wage an all-out war against corruption, among other such ballads. However, over the years, the Commission had rarely been accused of deviating from her core statutory mandates.

    Despite her creation and her modest achievements, one thing stands undisputed. And that is the fact that despite the fight, the monster seems to be growing stronger and more widespread while the perpetrators were becoming not only more daring, but even more callous!

    With corruption deeply rooted at the base of the nation’s problems, all other national challenges – be it social dislocation, leadership educational, health, infrastructural and human capital deficiencies – seem to be a direct result of the impact of corruption. They are all symptoms of the one and same ailment – corruption.

    For example, in 2015 alone, the Commission secured a total of 103 convictions, while 194 and 189 were secured in 2016 and 2017, respectively.  Between January and November 2018, the Commission so far secured a total of 217 convictions, including that of two former governors and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

    While enumerating the accomplishments of the Commission within this period, the Acting Chairman stated that these recoveries – mostly through the Whistle Blower Policy – included over N794 billion, $261 million, £1,115,000 and €8 million.

    Noteworthy also is the numerous property and other assets the Commission were able to recover for the nation within this time frame.

    As the Commission expands the fight against corruption with the expansion of her Directorates and recruitment and training of personnel, the Commission – and by extension – the current administration must not relent but continue the onslaught.

    The war cannot only be waged by the Commission. The citizens ought to own it – if it has to be won. However, for the citizen’s buy-in and support, the war must be seen to be total, non-partial and non-selective while assets so recovered and declared must be transparently accounted for.

    • By Tijani Mohammed

    Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Abuja

  • I don’t have two houses – Magu

    The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu on Thursday told an Ikeja high court that he does not own two houses.

    Magu told the court that he has only one house which he said is situated in Karo, Abuja.

    He stated this while being led in evidence by his counsel, Wahab Shittu before Justice Doris Okuwobi in a libel suit instituted against The Sun Newspaper.

    The acting Chairman of the EFCC had sued the publishers of the newspaper before the court, for series of libelous publication against his person.

    He is claiming N5 billion as damages in a letter written to the publishers of the newspaper.

    He had also demanded a public apology and retraction of the said libelous publication dated March 25, 2017 in The Sun Newspaper.

    The publication titled: “Magu Under Fresh Probe” had alleged that two houses located in a high brow area in Maitama, Abuja were traced to his wife by the Department of State Security (DSS).

    He said The Sun publications damaged his person and character nationally and internationally.

    Read Also: How BDCs assist politicians to loot, by Magu

    Magu contended that there was no iota of truth in the publication by The Sun newspaper.

    “The publication is totally false. Even if I have the money, I wouldn’t buy houses in Maitama, ” Magu maintained.

    “They said the houses are located in the Darrubbe and Missouri, Maitama and that they belong to my wife.

    “My wife Fatima Yakaka Magu is a civil servant and cannot afford to buy houses in Maitama.

    “I am international man and the publication has damaged my reputation. The name Magu does not only end with me. The publication caused a whole lot of trauma for my lineage, ” Magu said.

    However, while under cross examination by defence counsel, Charles Enwelunta,  Magu said his wife is not a party in the suit he filed against the defendant.

    “Are you sure you read the story very well?” Enwelunta asked Magu.

    “Yes I read it over and over again and they did not say DSS was investigating my wife,” Magu said.

    Magu told the court that his appointment was to be confirmed by the Senate but that he does not know why the upper chamber declined to do so twice, when asked by the defence to name the arm of the government that was to confirm his appointment.

    He however said that he was not worried about the refusal of the Senate to confirm his appointment.

    When Enwelunta took him up on his activities in the EFCC, Magu maintained that he secure 200 convictions in court in respect of cases bordering on corruption.

    He said the Senate was in a better position to say why they rejected him adding, “ I have been there for three years and Nigerians are watching”.

    Magu admitted knowing Inda Sule Moses, Lawal Mammah, Najeeb Iman and Adebayo Adeleke Rafiu with whom he faced the Senate during the screening exercise.

    He said it was of no importance to him if there are forces trying to get him out of office. .

    Justice Okuwobi has adjourned the matter till February 28, 2019 for further hearing.