LAGOS, Nigeria – Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu on Thursday confirmed that The Sun newspaper of March 25, 2017 alleged that two properties in Maitama District were owned by wife, Mrs Fatima Yakaka Magu, who is a civil servant.
Magu made the confirmation while testifing before an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, on Sun Newspapertitled: Magu Under Fresh Probe, which claimed two houses located to a high brow area in Maitama, Abuja were traced to his wife. Under cross-examination by counsel to the respondent, Mr Charles Enweluta, confirmed that the two mansions were allegedly traced to his wife but added that he has only one house which is located at Karo, Abuja where he lives with his wife, who is a civil servant.
Following the publication, Magu filed a suit against the publishers of the Sun Newspaper on the claims that the publications against him were libellous and damaging to his character both nationally and internationally. Besides, the N5 billion damages, he is also demanding an apology and retraction from the The Sun Newspaper for the alleged libellous publications.
During the cross-examination, Mr Enweluta asked, “The two properties, according to the publication, were allegedly traced to your wife? And Magu replied “Yes”. Enweluta: what is the name of your wife? Magu: Fatima Yakaka Magu (Mrs).
Enweluta: Is your wife party to the suit?
Magu: No. Magu further said, “They said the houses are located in the Darrubbe and Missouri, Maitama and that they belong to my wife.
“Even if I have money, I won’t go and buy a house in Maitima.These buildings they mentioned are so expensive and I cannot even afford any. That publication is totally false because my wife is a civil servant and we have just just one house in Karo, Abuja. And when I retire, I’ll go back there.
“You know am an international man and This publication has created a lot of issues because of my name and has caused a lot of damages to my integrity. The publication is completely false. So the onus is on them to produce the owners of those buildings. The publication has caused a lot of trauma to both me, my family and my lineage”.
Enweluta thereafter asked, “The publication is not an allegation but a report of an investigation carried out by a body, particularly a security agency?
Magu replied, “There was nobody or agency mentioned in that publication to have investigated me. I have never been investigated by any government agency since I came to EFCC. The publication only mentioned source and anyone can be tagged as source”.
When asked if he didn’t see the Department of State Security (DSS) tagged as the investigative body, Magu said, “No I didn’t. I read the story many times. Nobody has investigated any property owned by either me or my wife”. When asked about the DSS reports about him, Magu responded, “The DSS report was mentioned in the publication and there were two different reports provided by DSS about me on that same day. The first report did not indict me but the second report indicted me”.
Enweluta, thereafter told the EFCC boss that the DSS indictment report was based on his integrity, which he replied in the affirmative.
Magu, who averred that the Senate is the arm of the goverment meant to confirm his appointment, told the court that he wasn’t bothered about his non-confirmation status as acting chair nor interesting in the reason why he was rejected twice by the Senate.
“I was appointed on November 9, 2015. I have had an unprecedented achievement in the history of EFCC since my appointment with 200 convictions.
“Am not bothered whether they confirm me or not. My lord, I’ve been in that office for more than three years now. It does not worry or bother me that I was rejected twice. It is even good that they didn’t confirm me because it helped me do the job and work well. After all, if you are working well, they won’t confirm. Justice Doris Okwobi (Mrs) thereafter adjourned the matter till February 28 2019 for further proceedings.
