JUST IN: Group advocating soft landing for Magu to save Buhari’s image on corruption

EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu 

The embattled acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, who is under investigation over allegations of insubordination and ‘relooting of recovered funds’ levelled against him by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, spent the night in police custody on the orders of a presidential panel.

However, a source at the presidency said there is a lobby group advocating for a soft-landing for the EFCC boss in order to save the image of the President on his fight against corruption.

According to the source, it will be an embarrassment to Buhari’s Government after claiming success in the fight against corruption and "turn around to say the man leading the war is a corrupt, immoral person."

“According to this power bloc, disgracing Mr Magu will leave a dent on the EFCC and the government’s fight against corruption,” the source said.







“You cannot claim successes in the fight against corruption and turn around to say the man leading the war is a corrupt, immoral person. That is part of the argument of Mr Magu’s sympathisers,” said the source late on Monday.

Multiple sources have also said the ongoing investigations into the activities of the EFCC is ”majorly a battle between the AGF and the EFCC boss.”

“The alleged originating Malami memo, up to the current “arrest “ seems an outcome of power-play by power blocs in the corridors of power in which Malami appears to be an arrow-head or major agent of a power bloc that is not really interested in, or in support of, Buhari’s anti-corruption fight,” Femi Odekunle, a member of the presidential advisory committee against corruption (PACAC), wrote in a statement Monday night.



Other sources, who asked not to be mentioned, accused the AGF of using insiders at the commission to sponsor media attacks against Mr Magu.