A former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, has reacted to the claim that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided and searched his home in Minna, Niger State.
Olusegun Adeniyi, chairman of THISDAY editorial board had in his weekly column in the paper, claimed that the EFCC under Magu, who is now suspended as the commission’s acting chairman, searched the house of the retired general.
The report claimed that the ransacking of the home of Abubakar was part of Magu’s mistakes that led to his current travails.
But reacting in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by his media assistant, J Mfon, a retired army captain, the former Head of State said that the EFCC at no time raided and searched any of his homes.
He meanwhile, noted that some operatives of the anti-graft agency went to his guest house in error in 2017 but did not conduct any search of the property.
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“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,” the statement read in part.
Magu is currently being probed over alleged involvement in multiple corrupt activities.
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