VP Osinbajo’s Panel Quizzes EFCC Boss, Magu over $50m Recovered from Ikoyi Apartment

VP Osinbajo’s Panel Quizzes EFCC Boss, Magu over $50m Recovered from Ikoyi Apartment

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu on Friday, appeared before a 3-man committee headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo probing the circumstances around the nearly $50 million recovered from an Ikoyi apartment.

Magu appeared before the committee members for hours at the Vice-President’s office inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja as the committee began sitting on Friday.

The EFCC, headed by Magu, recovered the cash after getting a tip-off from a whistleblower. The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) subsequently laid claims to the money, stating that it was approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan for covert operations.

President Muhammadu Buhari, earlier in the week, suspended the NIA director-general, Mr Ayo Oke and set up the probe panel comprising VP Osinbajo, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN and the National Security Adviser, Mr Babagana Monguno.

Mr Magu was said to have justified the raid carried out by his agency and was subsequently directed by the panel to continue investigations into the discovered cash.

Punch reports that the committee took a short break around 1.30pm to allow Malami, Monguno and Magu attend the Juma’at service inside a mosque located beside the President’s office.

The three of them returned to continue the meeting after the prayer session. Magu left the committee at about 4pm holding two bulky brown envelopes and an official file.

Meanwhile, the probe panel has formally written to the NIA boss to supply certain documents by Monday to aid the investigation.

The committee also wrote to the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal who is also being probed by the panel over the award of fictitious contracts worth N220m to his company.