Pat Stevens/
Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), says operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have never raided any property belonging to him.
In a press statement issued this evening in reaction to media reports that the suspended chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, recently ordered a search of one of his houses in Minna, Abubakar said his house had never been searched by the Commission or any other security outfit.
In the statement signed by his military assistant, J Mfon, a retired army captain, the former Head of State explained that EFCC operatives came to his guest house in error in 2017 but did not conduct any search of the property.
The statement reads, “The attention of His Excellency General A. A. A Abubakar has been drawn to reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) searched his house in Minna, Niger State, on the orders of its Acting Chairman, CP Ibrahim Magu, and he feels the need to put the record straight: HIS HOUSE HAS NEVER BEEN SEARCHED BY EITHER EFCC OR ANY SECURITY AGENCY.
“However, sometime in 2017 operatives of the Commission from Kano Zone came to Minna to search a house in Tunga. The team ended up at His Excellency’s Guest House in Minna and told the security officers on duty that they had instructions from their zonal head to search the property.
“The officers said since the numbering of houses in Tunga was haphazard, it must be a case of mistaken identity. When CP Magu was contacted, he said he was not aware of the operation. Thereafter, the EFCC team from Kano left. His Excellency’s understanding is that they realised they came to the wrong address. However, no search was conducted in the Guest house.
“His Excellency as a rule does not comment on media publications directed at or concerning him. He has taken this step in view of the reactions these reports are generating. His Excellency felt the need to provide this important clarification due to the ongoing media frenzy insinuating His Excellency’s role in Magu’s issue.”
Chairman of THISDAY editorial board, Olusegun Adeniyi, had written in his weekly column that Magu ordered a search of Abubakar’s house without the knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the embattled former EFCC boss similarly blocked attempt by a former Minister of Defense, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), to purchase an aircraft by instructing that his cheque should not be honoured.
NewsmakersNG learnt that Danjuma had also denied having any issues with the EFCC regarding his financial transactions at any time in the past.
In his article, Adeniyi had written, “Former Defence Minister, Lt General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) was recently at the villa to see President Muhammadu Buhari. It was a visit borne out of rage. A billionaire oil tycoon, Danjuma had paid for the purchase of an aircraft. His cheque bounced! The order to withhold payment, he was told by his banker, came from Magu!
“From what I gathered, it took some time before the president could convince Danjuma that he knew nothing about what was clearly power mongering by a reckless public official.”
Magu is being probed by a presidential panel headed by retired Justice Ayo Salami over allegations of corruption and has been in police custody since Tuesday.
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