Yusuf Bello| Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, on Thursday denied that his house was searched in 2017 by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), eventhough they visited his guest house in error.
In apparent response to an article by Thisday Editoria Board Chairman, Segun Adeniyi that Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the EFCC, recently conducted a search in his Minna residence, the former Head of State, through his his military assistant, J Mfon, a retired army captain in a statement, said his house has never been searched by the agency or any other security outfi.
In his article, Adeniyi had written: “Former Defence Minister, Lt General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) was recently at the villa to see President Muhammadu Buhari. It was a visit borne out of rage. A billionaire oil tycoon, Danjuma had paid for the purchase of an aircraft. His cheque bounced! The order to withhold payment, he was told by his banker, came from Magu!
“From what I gathered, it took some time before the president could convince Danjuma that he knew nothing about what was clearly power mongering by a reckless public official.”
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But on Thursday evening Abdulsalami said, “The attention of His Excellency General A A A Abubakar has been drawn to reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) searched his house in Minna, Niger State, on the orders of its Acting Chairman, CP Ibrahim Magu, and HE feels the need to put the record straight: HIS HOUSE HAS NEVER BEEN SEARCHED BY EITHER EFCC OR ANY SECURITY AGENCY.
“However, sometime in 2017 operatives of the Commission from Kano zone came to Minna to search a house in Tunga. The team ended up at His Excellency’s Guest House in Minna and told the security officers on duty that they had instructions from their zonal head to search the property.
“The officers said since the numbering of houses in Tunga was haphazard, it must be a case of mistaken identity. When CP Magu was contacted, he said he was not aware of the operation. Thereafter, the EFCC team from Kano left. His Excellency’s understanding is that they realised they came to the wrong address. However, no search was conducted in the guest house.
“His Excellency as a rule does not comment on media publications directed at or concerning him. He has taken this step in view of the reactions these reports are generating. His Excellency felt the need to provide this important clarification due to the ongoing media frenzy insinuating His Excellency’s role in Magu’s issue.”
Magu is facing a presidential panel over allegations of corruption and insurbodination.
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