The former acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has been accused of failing to take legal steps against high-profile suspects.
Magu is alleged to have purposely killed high-profile cases investigated by the agency while chasing after Internet fraudsters, popularly known as “Yahoo Boys”.
Naija News reports the presidential panel set up to investigate Magu revealed this in the final report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2020.
It is understood that the final report has now been forwarded to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and a panel to produce the white paper will soon be set up.
The panel, headed by the former president of the Court of Appeal, Ayo Salami, was set up to probe the EFCC from May 2015 to May 2020.
According to TheCable, the anti-graft agency was said to have secured 2,446 convictions from 2015 to 2020, out of which 2,115 had to do with Yahoo boys and 85 high-profile cases.
It was learned that investigating officers of the commission were said to have submitted executive briefs to Magu in order to prosecute high-profile suspects, but the former EFCC boss would not grant the approval until the expiration of court orders.
According to the final report, the investigating officers are Abdulrasheed Bawa (now EFCC chairman), Shehu Ala and Sambo Mayana.
The panel said some of the high-profile cases abandoned by EFCC under Magu involved the likes of Former governors Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano state, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state, Donald Duke of Cross Rivers state and Ikedia Ohakim of Imo state; as well as the incumbent governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umar Fintiri. Others are Anyim Pius Anyim, Dr Doyin Okupe, Femi Gbajabiamila,
The panel said: “The commission observed that out of the 2446 convictions secured by the EFCC from 2015-2020, only 85 were for high-profile and money laundering cases, that is 3.4% of the total convictions. Also, 2115 representing over 86% of the total convictions (2446) during the period were for suspects popularly referred to as “Yahoo-Yahoo boys” internet fraudsters, charged for obtaining under false pretence/cheating and related offences.
“The suspended acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, directed Abdulrasheed Bawa, the investigating officer, to halt the investigations into a case of abuse of office, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering against Senator Ike Ekweremadu. The investigation which commenced in September 2017 traced monies and properties worth N2.4 billion suspected to be proceeds of crime to Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
“The investigation of Starter Point Integrated Services Limited by EFCC over a failed contract involving the sum of $200 million to secure onshore pipelines traversing the country was stalled by the suspended acting chairman of EFCC. That despite the tracing of $91 million to the bank accounts of Starter Point, and $40 million traced to a Switzerland-based company, OWANROAD Plc. There was no evidence of contract execution and no money was recovered before the investigation was stalled on the orders of the suspended acting chairman of EFCC.
“The suspended acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, issued a general directive to ACP Isyaku Sharu and team of officers investigating cases relating to the arms procurement contract fraud to stand down investigations on all dollar-based contracts.
“In a bid to frustrate the investigations of some politically-exposed persons, the suspended acting chairman split the Economic Governance Unit into two units; Economic Governance ‘A’ and Economic Governance ‘B’, and instructed the head of Economic Governance ‘B’ against investigating high-profile cases which led to the abandonment involving the likes of Former governors Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano state, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state, Donald Duke of Cross Rivers state and Ikedia Ohakim of Imo state; as well as the incumbent governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umar Fintiri. Others are Anyim Pius Anyim, Dr Doyin Okupe, Femi Gbajabiamila, among others.”
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