EXPOSED: How EFCC’s Magu Diverted Over N702M As 13 Months Salaries Of Newly Employed Operatives, Among Other Infractions

👤 EXCLUSIVE: Adenike Lucas and Danjuma Aliyu, DENISAURUS News

Ibrahim Mustafa Magu no longer hides it. He is the human face of corruption!

Instead of fighting graft like he should, the acting chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has enabled it. He stifles and undermines staff members determined to fulfill President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to kill corruption, DENISAURUS News gathered.

This paper that has exclusively reported the actions of the man described as “perennial offender” understands that corruption at the EFCC has become an “epidemic,” and needs urgent attention from the President and Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General, who is the substantive supervisory Minister to the Commission.

Insiders say that the situation at the Commission has really deteriorated. Speaking to the Editor of DENISAURUS News, staff complained and spoke about the constant worry that they have.

Even newbies are also complaining. Those who recently joined the anti-graft Commission are highly disturbed and worried, owing to the lackadaisical attitude of Mr Magu, against the welfare and wellbeing of staff, whom at the moment are not sure of any form of “gratuity” at retirement.

From our authentic source, this newspaper understands that a newly employed staff should be paid at least a hundred and eighty thousand naira per head, from the first month of their employment. Other allowances inclusive.

DENISAURUS News discovered that, “it was on 11th May 2018, that detective superintendent course 7 (DSC7) total over 300 Cadets, passed out of the rigorous and unnecessary training at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) old site, the DSC7 reported for training on March 18th 2017.”

According to our sources: “After the passing out parade of the 314 officers, they proceeded to EFCC training academy Karu Abuja for induction training, documentation and so called demilitarization of the officers, which eventually ended on 15th June 2018 and they were posted to the various zonal offices of the commission, and asked to unfailingly report on 19th of June 2018.”

The disheartening issue, a staff said “is that Mr Magu has refused to pay the officers of DSC7 their entitlements which include; their salary arrears of 13 months under training, which was budgeted for in 2016 and 2017 budget, as their date of appointment reads 18th March 2017, their 28 days allowance for being posted to polar regions (southerners to north and vice versa) which has been the general practice since the inception of the commission.

“In furtherance to all this, Mr Magu has unanimously resolved not to pay the officers their June 2018 salary, as other staff of the commission have been paid, leaving the officers in a terrible and vulnerable condition of not having money for feeding, transport, rent and clothing as the commission has a particular dress code of wearing suit from Monday to Thursday.”

DENISAURUS News understands that the situation is so alarming that the intervention of the presidency and national assembly, to curtail this evil of poor administration becomes highly imperative.

Staff say the fight against corruption cannot be won when they are been denied their rightful entitlements.

Moreover, Mr Magu is not denying himself of any entitlement of Chairman.

To them, the recently promoted Deputy Commissioner of Police is only parading himself as corruption fighter and is carelessly breeding corruption in the commission with his approach to staff welfare.

Mr Magu, a “corrupt” officer from Borno State has in his acting capacity killed morale of staff. In their own word, this “has been the worst period serving at the commission.”

While some bold staff have come out to complain, most are currently grumbling inside with fear of victimisation. They told this paper that their boss listens to no one in the commission when it comes to taking key decisions.

Even the police officers on secondment, the commission is owing them five months, while the other ranks are being owed seven months, which DENISAURUS News learnt that Mr Magu refuses to pay till now.

Mr Magu is also accused of illegally making use of EFCC staff cooperative money to finance the completion of the new head office which is a clear violation of guidelines, as currently staff are trying to access their savings but are repeatedly been told that there is no money.

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This is the commission that when the speaker Hon. Yakubu Dogara paid a working visit on May 9th 2018 at the new head office of the commission ahead of its commissioning, was advocating for better welfare package for staff, saying: “I think it is time for us to look at the welfare package of the EFCC staff who are putting their lives on the line to ensure that they combat the menace that has caused retardation to this great nation, in terms of economic advancement and development.”

Honorable Dogara statement implies the readiness and willingness of the National Assembly to assist the Commission in terms making adequate budgetary provision to cater for the staff welfare but the acting chairman prefer to keep things unnecessarily very tight,”DENISAURUS News had been reliably informed.

Even though the NASS had rejected Mr Magu’s nomination twice due to an indicting report from the Department of State Services, DSS, lawmakers are keen on ensuring that the fight against corruption is won, hence the determination to increase support to EFCC staffers.

In October 2016, the DSS had written a Report to NASS Senate rolling out all the offences of EFCC’s Magu as reasons he should not be confirmed as anti-graft boss.

Highlights of the report from the DSS were revealed in this paper in August 2016, before it was eventually picked up by other main stream media.

A further report where Lawal Musa Duara, the DG DSS refused to stand down the allegations made against Mr Magu was also exclusively reported by DENISAURUS News.

The secret police stated that Mr MAGU is a “perennial offender” and would be a “liability on the anti-graft War of the present administration.”

However, insiders say that Mr Magu remains in office thanks to the support he gets from the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Professor Osinbajo continues to give support to Mr Magu, knowing fully well that the anti-graft boss has baggage of atrocities committed while in office.

Effort was made by this newspaper to reach out to the EFCC Spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, but in his usual attitude, he is still not happy with DENISAURUS News for all exposé on EFCC’s Magu, hence never responded to our enquiry.

Staff members are still appealing to President Buhari, to come to their rescue, owing to the fact that Mr Magu, their boss, has set the anti-graft agency back to some decade behind.