Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has denied receiving N4 billion bribe from the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.
KanyiDaily recalls that a political analyst, Jackson Ude had alleged that Magu confessed to stealing the sum of N39 billion from the EFCC, and transfering N4bn from the missing funds to the office of Osinbajo.
According to Ude, the suspended EFCC Boss stole the money when he was presiding over affairs of the anti-corruption agency, and released the N4bn to Osinbajo, the day President Muhammadu Buhari left for his last medical trip in the United Kingdom.
Reacting in a statement issued by his spokesman, Laolu Akande on Wednesday night, the office of the vice president said the reports are totally false and baseless.
“The attention of the Office of the Vice President has been drawn to a series of tweets and online publications by PointBlank News and Newsreel.com.ng today 8th July 2020, credited to the same person, one Jackson Ude.
“In essence, Ude’s story is that “embattled former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, allegedly embezzled over N39 billion and gave Vice President Yemi Osinabjo (sic) N4 billion, after the VP gave instructions to him to release some of the recovered loots…
”The same Jackson Ude has also been circulating a video on YouTube with a female commentator, peddling the same lies.
“With all emphasis at our disposal, let it be firmly stated that these are totally false and baseless fabrications purporting to reflect goings-on at the Probe Panel investigating Mr. Ibrahim Magu.
“They are indeed completely absurd in every respect. Sadly, such mindless, vicious and reckless publications have now become the preferred tool of unscrupulous and reprobate elements in our society who are procured with monetary inducement to peddle blatant falsehood, tarnish the image of upright public officials and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians.
“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will of course not be distracted by these obvious campaigns of lies and calumny,” he said.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Magu has been replaced with the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, as the new acting Chairman of the EFCC, but the Presidency has not issued an official statement regarding the unfolding development.
KanyiDaily had reported that Magu was arrested by security operatives on Monday, July 6, 2029, and whisked away to the Presidential Villa to face an investigate panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The embattled former acting chairman is being interrogated by Ayo Salami-led presidential panel over allegations of gross misconduct against him.
Magu was arrested following some allegations levelled against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), in a memo to the President.
The memo raised by Malami has some damning allegations against Magu, who was alleged, among other allegations, of insubordination to the AGF, ‘relooting of recovered loots’ and Sale of seized assets to cronies, associates and friends.
The EFCC Boss was also accused of corruption and money laundering based on allegations that he owns four questionable properties and that he was allegedly transferring funds abroad through a third party.
On Tuesday, July 7,2020, President Buhari suspended Magu as the EFCC acting chairman, pending the conclusion of the panel’s investigation.