BREAKING: Buhari’s govt queries EFCC boss, Magu

President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has issued a query to the
Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), Ibrahim Magu over the corruption charges filed against the
Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Yakubu Umar.

PRNigeria obtained a copy of the query to Magu and another letter
written to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo.

In the query dated February 16, 2018 and with Reference No
DPP/ADV:368/15, Magu was ordered to make his response to the query
available to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the
Minister of Justice on or before Tuesday, February 20, 2018.

Signed by Mr. Dayo Apata, the Solicitor General of the Federation and
Permanent Secretary, Magu was asked to explain what informed the
filing of corruption charges against the tribunal chairman having
being cleared of corruption allegation two times by the commission.

Titled, "FR VS Danladi Umar (CR/109/18) request for Briefing," the
query read in part: "The attention of the Honourable Attorney General
of the Federation was drawn to news report that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission has filed charges of corruption against
the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Hon. Justice Danladi
Umar, before the FCT High Court.

"I am directed by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to
seek clarification from you as to whether the charges were filed on
your instruction or directive and if in the affirmative, what is the
compelling basis for doing so. This clarification becomes imperative
in view of the following background facts.

"The Commission's investigation report dated 5th March 2015 addressed
to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation stated as
follows: "The facts as they are now against Justice Umar raised a mere
suspicion and will therefore not be sufficient to successfully
prosecute for the defence.

"The Commission's position in paragraph 2(a) above was also maintained
and sustained by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation
while appearing before the House of Representatives' Investigative
Committee sometimes in 2015 to the effect that report of
investigations showed that the allegations against Hon. Justice
Danladi Umar were based on mere suspicions.

"In view of the foregoing, the Honourable Attorney General of the
Federation requests for your prompt briefing as to the existence of
new facts which are contrary to the position in your attached
investigation report, sufficient evidence or other developments upon
which the prosecution of Hon. Justice Danladi can be successfully
based.

"Kindly accord this letter top priority while your prompt response
within 48 hours from the receipt of same is required in the
circumstances."

In the same vein, Keyamo was requested by the AGF to confirm who
authorise him to file the corruption charge against Umar.

Like Magu, the SAN was given till Tuesday February 20, 2018 to furnish
the Office of the AGF in writing detail of who engaged or issued him
with authority to file the corruption charges.

The letter to Keyamo with reference No DPP/ADV:369/15 dated February
16, 2018, which was also signed by the Solicitor General of the
Federation and Permanent Sectary read in part:

"The attention of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation
was drawn to news report that you have filed charges of corruption
against the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Hon. Justice
Danladi Umar, before the FCT High Court.

"The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation hereby requests
that you kindly furnish this office with the details of the
instruction or authorization upon which you instituted the case under
reference. Kindly accord this letter top priority while your prompt
response on or before Tuesday, February 20, 2018 is solicited in this
regard."

Although the EFCC in two separate letters to the Federal Government
through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had in 2015
and 2016 cleared Umar of any wrongdoing in the alleged N10 million
bribery allegation made against him by a defendant, Rasheed Taiwo
Owolabi standing trial before him on false asset declaration.

Upon receipt of the petition from Owolaabi, the EFCC had investigated
the petition and sent its report to the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation (SGF) with a Reference No EFCC/EC/SGF/03/56 dated March
5, 2015, personally signed by the then Executive Chairman of the EFCC,
Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde exonerating the CCT boss from the bribery saga.

The EFCC report received by the office of SGF on March 6, 2015 was
categorical that "the facts as they are against Justice Umar raised a
mere suspicion and will therefore not be sufficient to successfully
prosecute for the offence."

Other EFCC documents show that in 2016 a fresh investigation was
conducted into the same N10million bribery allegation and the same
anti-graft agency in its second report absolved Umar of any wrongdoing
and that the bribery allegation against him remain a mere suspicion.

The EFCC second report with reference EFCC/P/HRU/688/V30/99 dated
April 20, 2016 and submitted to the SGF and signed by the Secretary to
the Commission, Emmanuel Adegboyega Aremo, read in part: "Kindly
recall our correspondence of March 5 2015 with Reference
EFCC/EC/SGF/03/56 with above subject caption. We will like to
reiterate the Commission's position in regard to this matter as
earlier communicated to you and state that the allegation levelled
against Justice Umar were merely suspicions and consequently
insufficient to prosecute the offence."