Court clears Magu of money laundering
Former acting chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has been exonerated over false claim that Pastor Emmanuel Omale of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry and his wife, Deborah laundered N573million for him.
In a landmark judgment on Tuesday, Justice Yusuf Halilu exonerated Magu of money laundering.
The judgment was on the suit marked: FCT/HC/CV2541/2020 filed by Omale, his wife and the church.
During the investigation of Magu by the Justice Isa Salami-led presidential investigation panel, it was claimed that an investigation by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) revealed that Magu paid N573million into Omale’s church’s account with which a property was allegedly bought in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, UAE.
But in his verdict on Tuesday, Justice Halilu noted that the evidence before his court showed that Omale’s bank admitted error in its report to the NFIU, of entries in Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry’s account.
The judge further held that the bank claimed that the purported N573 million was wrongly reflected as credit entry in Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry’s account by its reporting system, which it recently upgraded.
Justice Halilu noted that the bank admitted the error, which occasioned incalculable damage to the reputation of Pastor Omale, his wife and their church both within and outside the country.
Ibrahim Magu Biography
Ibrahim Mustafa Magu was a Nigerian Police officer. He joined the Nigeria Police Force as an Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1990.
In 2015, Magu was appointed as acting chairman of the Efcc by President Muhammadu Buhari after Ibrahim Lamorde, who previously headed the commission was sacked, and Magu was suspended in July 2020 and replaced by Muhammed Umar as the acting chairman of the commission.
Early Life & Education
Ibrahim Magu was born on the 5th of May, 1962, to the family of Mallam Mustafa Magu and Hajiya Bintu Magu in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
He had his early primary education at Yarwa Practicing Primary School, Maiduguri, between 1969 and 1975. From 1975 to 1980, He went to Government Secondary School Waka Biu’s. In 1982, Magu gained Admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he studied Accounting and graduated in 1986.
Ibrahim Magu served as the NYSC Accountant at the Benue State Health Services Management Board, Makurdi.
After completing his National Youth Service Corps, he served in various Ministries and Departments in the Borno State Government as an Accountant and rose to become a Zonal Accountant.
Career
Ibrahim Magu voluntarily resigned to join the Nigeria Police Force as an Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1990. He also coordinated the Nigeria Police Building Society before moving on to the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID), where he served as a team leader in charge of Financial Crimes, Money Laundering, and Advance Fee Fraud investigation.
In 2002, He was posted to Ekiti Police Command after being promoted Superintendent of Police (SP). He also served briefly as the officer in charge of the General Investigation and Monitoring Unit May 2003 when he was seconded to the newly established Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC was established in 2003, partially in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), which named Nigeria as one of 23 countries non-cooperative in the international community’s efforts to fight money laundering.
Magu worked with the pioneer chairman of EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, and later with Ibrahim Lamborde and way a key person in the achievements recorded by Nuhu Ribadu.
On the 9th Of November 2015, Buhari appointed Magu as Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following the sack of Ibrahim Lamorde, who has earlier served twice.
He served a member of the investigative committee convened by National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the procurement of arms in the Armed Forces from 2007 to 2020.
Controversies
Magu remains unconfirmed as the Chairman of EFFC, which is one of the challenges and controversies being faced by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on appointments and nominations confirmation.
In 2008, Magu was arrested allegedly because the police discovered EFCC files and a computer containing classified documents at his Abuja residence.
The 8th Senate rejected Magu’s appointment as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) twice on the basis that Magu lacks the moral integrity to lead the EFCC.
October 2017, the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant against Magu for refusing to appear before it.
On May 29, 2018, the EFCC announced that 603 Nigerian figures had been convicted on corruption charges since Buhari and Magu assumed their offices in 2015. The EFCC also announced that judges and military officials were prosecuted for the first time in Nigeria’s history.
Magu faces various allegations of corruption, especially about assets recovered by the EFCC.
On 6th July 2020, Magu was arrested by the Department of State Security Services(DSS) over corruption allegations. However, a statement by EFCC claimed Magu went to the presidential villa on the invitation.
On the 7th of July 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Ibrahim Magu as the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The Director of Operations Mohammed Umar replaced him.
Personal Life
Ibrahim Magu married Fatima Yakaka Magu, She is a civil servant, and the marriage is blessed with three children.
Net Worth
Ibrahim Magu has handled several positions in Nigeria for the past two decades, but his official net worth isn’t available.
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