Buhari Writes Secret Letter to Saraki, Begging For Help

Based on his alleged impressive performance on the war against corruption, President Muhammadu Buhari, has written the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, soliciting for the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu, as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

According to findings, the letter was forwarded to the Senate, through his Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang.

Magu, is the fourth Chairman of the agency. Others before him were; Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Mrs. Farida Waziri and Mallam Ibrahim Lamorde.

Post-Nigeria, learnt that Magu has been in acting capacity as the Chairman of EFCC since November 9, 2015. He was recently promoted to the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, based on his outstanding records.

It was also gathered, that the President opted for the full confirmation of Magu, because of his “record-breaking performance, transparency, integrity and exceptional courage”‎.

His nomination as the substantive Chairman of the EFCC, was said to be in line with Section 2 (1) (a) of the EFCC Act.

The section reads in part: “The commission shall consist of the following members – (a) a chairman who shall (i) be the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the commission; (ii) be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent; and (iii) possess not less than 15 years cognate experience’’.

As at May, the EFCC under Magu had secured 140 convictions in six months.

The list included the following: a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Raymond Temisan Omatseye (five years for N1.5 billion contract scam); a Lagos Court Registrar, Mrs. Rosulu Idowu Oluronke (10 years for $8.4m); a former Chairman, Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of the Kogi State, Gabriel Daudu (154 years for N1.4 billion fraud); ex-Adamawa Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, John Elias Babani (10 years for N51.5m); George Uboh (three years for selling vehicles belonging to the defunct Police Equipment Fund).

The EFCC also, secured a court order to extradite a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPM, Ehi Okonyomon, to the United Kingdom, UK, to face charges of corruption and money laundering on the N750 million polymer bribery scandal.