By Ovie Okpare
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has said the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, is not being detained by the Nigeria Police Force.
It said Magu, who was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari last week, is being detained by the Presidential Panel that is investigating the activities of the anti-graft agency.
The police chief made the clarification in a letter addressed to the lawyer of the embattled former EFCC Chairman, Mr. Tosin Ojaomo, who had written the Inspector General of Police for the release of Magu on bail.
A copy of the letter sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday with reference CB:7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.489/171 titled, ‘RE: Application for bail,’ was signed by the Principal Staff Officer to the police boss, DCP Idowu Owohunwa.
Magu’s lawyer, Ojaomo had written to Adamu demanding that the suspended EFCC boss be granted bail until the allegations were made known to him and subsequent trail.
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But the IG in the letter directed the lawyer to the presidential panel headed by a former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, who are investigating his client.
It read, “The Inspector General of Police directs that your attention be drawn to the fact that the Nigeria Police Force is not investigating CP Ibrahim Magu your client and he is accordingly not being detained by the Police but by the Presidential Panel that is in the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, advises that you consider redirecting your request to the Chairman of the Presidential panel for appropriate attention.”
Magu is being detained and questioned by the Justice Salami-led panel for corruption allegation leveled against the suspended EFCC.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who ordered the suspension of Magu, also on Wednesday suspended the commission’s secretary and 12 other Directors.
