The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has distanced itself from a report entitled, Businessman Accuses Magu’s Aide of N4m Extortion, which appeared in the Vanguard Newspaper of June 9, and various online platforms linking the EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu to a staff involved in matter he investigated.
The report purports that Abubakar Madaki an operative of the Commission whom they referred to as personal assistant to the acting chairman, obtained N4 million from a certain Abdulhamid Mahmud Zari, a suspect under investigation for alleged money laundering by the Commission, to grant him bail.
The EFCC said through a statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren said the report was false.
Uwujaren said: “The Commission wish to state that there is no truth to this allegation which is contrived to malign and impugn the reputation of Madaki, an operative who has handled several high profile investigations without blemish. What is currently playing out in select media outlets is the unraveling of a vengeful script by Zari and his cohorts to impugn the integrity of Madaki and bring him to public ridicule.
“It will interest members of the public who may have been misled by the mischievous story, to know that Zari has been crossed with Madaki over suspicion that he instigated the investigation leading to his arrest and detention by the Commission.
“Soon after he was released on bail, Zari launched a media offensive against Madaki, accusing him of buying half of the land in his home town, Keffi for N10billion. He also claimed that the officer owns two palatial mansions in choice areas of Abuja worth N250million. In line with the Commission’s stance on professional responsibility by officers and men, the phantom allegations were duly investigated by the Commission and found to be baseless.
“That the ludicrous charge failed to hurt the career of Madaki has not deterred Zari. He engineered the arrest of the officer after he wrote a petition to the Police at Nasarawa Command, alleging that Madaki and his brother had conspired to kill him during the Ramadan of 2017. Madaki was detained for a day in Lafia. The case was eventually transferred to the Nigeria Force Headquarter for proper investigation. The Police have already concluded investigation and the case file sent to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
“Once Zari discovered that Force Headquarters had stepped into the matter, he proceeded to Lafia and again got four members of Madaki’s family arrested including a 76-year-old man Hashimu Sale, who later died in prison while on remand. He also got his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to sue the Commission and Madaki for continuously inviting him. Other reliefs he sought was an order of court stopping the Commission from further investigating him. This was rejected by the court. He proceeded on appeal to the appellate court.
“Zari has now changed gear by bringing up fresh allegations against the officer. Now, he would have the world believe that he was extorted N4m to be granted bail in an agency that is not known for collecting money to admit suspects on bail. What makes the allegation more ridiculous is the fact that Madaki is not the officer handling Zari’s investigation. He is not even a member of the team. It therefore beats the imagination how an officer that is not involved in a case would be the one demanding money for the bail of a suspect.
“If Zari is persuaded that he paid bribes to secure bail from the EFCC, he is obliged to take the additional step of stating the time, place and circumstances in which the money was collected from him and by who, together with witnesses to the transaction.
“Zari, unfortunately is not acting alone. Intelligence available to the Commission indicates that the invidious publications are sponsored and promoted by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who is currently being investigated by the same officer. The objective is clear, to intimidate Madaki and the EFCC, and prepare the grounds for claims of malice or vindictiveness by the time charges are filed against the suspects in court.
“It is important to state that the EFCC view with seriousness these fabrications and would like to use this opportunity to appeal to the media to be more circumspect in offering their platforms to false stories by compromised reporters. The Commission will henceforth not hesitate to take legal action against erring media organizations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Madaki who recently took charge of the Economic Governance Section at EFCC headquarters is not a personal assistant to Ibrahim Magu. He has never been personal aide to anybody. The attempt to promote him as personal assistant to Magu betrays a desperation by the senior lawyer to also hit at the acting chairman of the Commission.
“The public is enjoined to disregard the publications as no amount of false alarm or distraction will stop the Commission from taking the ongoing investigations to logical conclusion.”