👤Special Reports By Adenike Lucas, DENISAURUS News

A Senator who gave a bribe of N15 Million to a member of staff of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in order to squash an investigation has been named, despite the best effort of the commission’s boss, Ibrahim Mustafa Magu to protect him.

DENISAURUS News understands that Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi (Pictured) who represents Taraba North Senatorial District under the People’s Democratic Party PDP gave a bribe of 15 million Naira sum to an EFCC operative, Kingsley Uzodinma Agbazue to scuttle a case for him.

According to the EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren who had issued a press statement in September 2016, the anti-graft agency had arrested its staff, who received a bribe from a NASS Member, who was being investigated.

Although, Mr Uwujaren stated that the EFCC Operative was reported by the NASS Member, after the former could not achieve the purpose for which he was given the bribe, the name of the legislative was not published. Staff members believe their boss, Ibrahim Magu refused to release the name NASS Member to the public, so as not to upset those that would decide his CONFIRMATION.

In the press statement, Senator Sani Danladi, a former acting Taraba State Governor became angry with the EFCC Operative after which he requested for the refund of his money, due to the failed contract.

But the operative was able to refund N5 million, with a balance of N10 million in contemplation. Unfortunately, Mr Magu of EFCC concealed the name of the NASS member and even attempted to make it seem as though he were a House of Representative member. When in the real sense of it, it was a Senator from the foregoing.

NEGOTIATION AND SELF-INTEREST

EFCC sources note that they began to suspect the EFCC Acting Chairman who was very keen to hide the identity of the briber. They say this transaction between the NASS Member and the EFCC operative was not in a way a “Sting Operation,” where the EFCC operative must have been entrapped into receiving the bribe, which would have suggested a clear demand for bribe.

One said that “they believe a senior Managerial Staff would have been involved in the scam,” hence the boldness of the operative to demand such amount.

Worthy of note is that, our Nigerian Law, the ICPC Anti-Corruption Act 2000 Part 3, S.10-states that: “The acceptor or giver of gratification to be GUILTY notwithstanding that purpose was not carried out or matter not in relation to principal’s affairs or business.” Therefore, one would like to ask, why is the NASS Member not taken in and charged alongside the EFCC staff?

Though this is particular case is yet to be ascertained, but staff have in the past made several allegations on the desperate attempt by Mr Magu of EFCC to get the confirmation as the substantive boss of the anti-graft agency by the NASS to the Editor and Publisher of this this paper.

In their claim, they say “Mr Magu has gone from the blackmailing of some highly placed personalities in the country, such as Emirs, President Muhammadu Buhari’s (PMB) appointees and others, to the bullying of EFCC staff.”

An anonymous source very conversant with the operations of the EFCC had briefed Miss Lucas, that “Mr Magu of EFCC is not relenting in his desperate move to force PMB to get him confirmed.”

When asked further, the source explained that “as it relates to the case of bribery against the EFCC operative, Mr Magu of EFCC would have been briefed on the level of investigation and the culpability of both parties i.e. the NASS Member and the EFCC Operative.”

But whilst he was getting brief, those present said that Mr Magu of EFCC “suddenly yelled at the team, insisting that they want to prevent him from being confirmed, else why will they ask him to approve the investigation of the NASS Member.”

UNJUST PUNSHIMENTS

DENISAURUS News was informed that a Core Staff member approached the EFCC acting boss to explain that a bribe giver and taker are both culpable.  Consequently, the current Department of Internal Affairs DIA, has insisted that justice must be done to the NASS member and the EFCC Operative, which upset Mr Magu who has decided to punish the EFCC Core Staff in that unit for daring to recommend “that both the bribe giver and taker be punished and brought to face the EFCC and the wrath of the Law.”

In a way, Mr Magu of EFCC had transferred the EFCC Staff out of that department, same way he had done to two Senior EFCC Management Staff, Male and Female, who dared questioned why he had suspended and victimized some whistle-blowers and Core EFCC Staff, whom Mr Magu of EFCC felt had EXPOSED his predecessor, Ibrahim Lamorde, to President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a previous development, Magu of EFCC had also bullied a Core Staff whom he authorized to present “Anti-Corruption Ambassador” Award to Senator Ike Ekweremadu. But sacrificed the Staff, when Mr Magu felt such would have angered the majority party Senators, and subsequently prevent a support for his confirmation as EFCC Chair.

On that same note, reports of staff bullying had been reported by Abubakar Sidiq Usman “Abusidiqu, on August 2, 2016, to which Mr Magu authorised his arrest and many have described as an attempt to censor the press freedom.

OVERLOOKING CORRUPTION

Mr Magu of EFCC had during the tenure of his predecessor; Mr Ibrahim Lamorde headed a department in the anti-graft agency as “Department of Internal Affairs, DIA.”. During his superintendentship, Mr Magu of EFCC ensured that most of his cronies were left of the hook, while core EFCC staff were meted with highly extreme punishment like “dismissals,” even without recourse to the fact that they may be “first time offenders” depending on the gravity of their offences.

Insiders say that “Mr Magu of EFCC in his ongoing desperation to occupy the seat of EFCC substantive Chair, has continue to bully staff with impunity, believing that his “Arrest and Recovery” gimmicks will silent and make PMB deaf, over his numerous hidden atrocities.

Evidently, the impunity of Mr Magu of EFCC knows no bounds, coupled with his latest antics of desperately seeking for the Office of the Chair of the EFCC without any iota of shame.

In this sense, Mr Magu is now shifting from his usual attribute of blackmail, victimization, bullying, to that of “Administrative Corruption.”

Latest of such is the coercion of PMB Ministers into convincing them to push for his confirmation, using the recent EFCC Recruitment.

This is not inclusive of how Mr Magu of EFCC had embarked on waste of government resources by moving the training of the new cadets from the EFCC Academy in Abuja to Air Force Training Institute in Kaduna

Even Mr Magu’s allies have questioned his judgement, saying it is the wrong time to do so at a time the country’s Economy is grasping for Funds to meet the needs of Nigerians as promised by PMB.

Moreover, the dirty deals that Mr Magu of EFCC has been culpable, is more glaring from the DSS Suspect’s fraudulent fronting and blackmailing cartel, to the call by Civil Society Groups for Mr Magu’s immediate SACK by PMB before he further embarrasses the government.

It has been recommended to President Buhari to thread softly and fully empower the DG DSS, Mallam Lawal M Daura, to go after Mr Magu of EFCC and some of his boys within the anti-graft agency, which he stationed at all the EFCC Offices, to be carrying out his fronting and dirty deals.

Most especially on high profile cases, which they have been collecting their own share of the looted funds from some suspects. This must not be seen as “Corruption Fighting Back”, like Mr Magu of EFCC had always put it to gullible Nigerians.

MAGU MAKING FINAL BID FOR CONFIRMATION

In a last minute effort to get confirmed, Magu of EFCC has been running from pillars to pole, including 24/ 7 visit to the residence of a former Chief Security Officer to an Ex-Head of State. Hoping that the intimacy of the former CSO with PMB, will finally help him (Magu of EFCC) clinch the EFCC Chair.

Insiders say, Mr Magu of EFCC should tell Nigerians, if the ALLEGATIONS against him are NOT true, and if he feels it’s all about “Corruption Fighting Back” like he claims, why then has there not been an IOTA of same allegations against Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS?

They say it’s “because of the latter’s INTEGRITY. Therefore, PMB must URGENTLY order the Attorney General of the Federation AGF, and the Department of State Services DSS to look into with ALACRITY, the impunity of activities in EFCC under Mr Ibrahim Magu.”

Several calls were put across to the EFCC Spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, but he did not pick up. A text was sent to his mobile ending with *149. A text report showed that the message was delivered but at the time of filing this report, Mr Uwujaren, had not given a reply to the question raised in the text.